Life ain't that easy
by CC08
Summary: In a life so unpredictable You'll have learn from events and grow with them. You can't have everything and sometimes you'll have to just accept the situation and deal with the consequences of your actions. Something both Kevin and eddward have to learn. While Kevin tries to make the best out of what he gets, Eddward slowly loses himself in his emotions and desires.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a Ed, Edd n Eddy story.**

Means besides of my imagination to write this story (Which does not say a lot about my imagination because those characters aren't even mine.), I own nothing of it!

Anyway, now that we're past that obvious information ... Here is a **warning**.

It's a bit different from what you guys used to read. Yes this is an **Edd and Kevin** romance Story, however that's not the warning.

The warning is that this could hit close to home for some of you, since I wanted to make it a bit more realistic. I also wanna try and have the characters stay in their respective personality that their original creators had for them.

There will appear OC's from other people, like **Nathan and reverse Edd**, that I also try to keep in their respective character which their original owners created for them. Should I fail on doing that, feel free to correct me, same with my grammar.

I will have errors in it, **English is not my native language,** so I will not be able to avoid that.

That was all. I would **love** to read your opinions, thoughts and criticism in the reviews.

Do not worry, my feelings ain't easy to hurt, especially since it's just something I do in my free time. So don't hold back, be as blunt and honest as possible ... it is a trait I carry myself and hold nothing but respect for.

Now without wasting more of your time and patience I shall begin, **enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter one:**

It is three o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon. Sounds of children filling the streets as the ringing of the closing of the kindergarten for the day let's everyone know. Cars starting to park in front of the school, having parents picking up their children and with the other kids standing on the Grey and dirty pavement in front of the building, which plays an important role in their early childhood education. One of the children is a small and fragile looking five years old boy with long, very soft looking light orange hair that reached his tiny hips. big adorable sea green eyes looking down the entrance road in search for his mothers silver 1988 Ford Festiva. Small hands fiddling with the end of his knitted sweater fastening down the front, which has typically long sleeves. Long light blue jeans are stained with dirt from playing on the kindergartens playground. Tiny withe sneakers bob up and down in a playful manner as the little boy waits for his mother to pick him up. A little shudder runs through the boys frame as a cold November breeze blows into his face, making him pout those pink and full lips. Not paying a lot attention to his surroundings, the child did not see an older man walking towards him.

"Hey little guy!", the deep voice made the boy jump in surprise and those sea green eyes got bigger as he turns his head upwards to look at the man. Said man is not older as twenty one, has dark brown hair and russet brown eyes. He is tall and looks strong, the pale boy starts to get nervous, knowing he is not suppose to talk to strangers. However he did not really know how to react to a stranger talking to him, not wanting to possibly anger the man in being rude but also not wanting to talk to the man.

Upon seeing the boy getting nervous and not knowing what to do, the man gives a deep chuckle. "No need to be so nervous, I'm not going to hurt you or anything". It didn't calmed the kid down, knowing if his mother would see him talking to a stranger that she would be disappointed in him. The brown haired man sighs softly at the boys clearly uncomfortable expression and lowers himself so he gets on a more even height with the kid. laying a hand on the gingers head, which covers the child's small head. The surprised sound the boy gave upon this action amused the older. "Look, how about I'll buy you some sweets to show you that I mean no harm to you. You can choose your favorites!".

The little ginger gives the man a uncertain look before turning his eyes to the ground. "I'm not allowed to talk to strangers", the kid says in a small voice.

"Well I'm David. I like motorcycles in fact i own one myself! My favorite color is Blue, like the jacket I'm wearing and I like buying adorable little boys like you candies", at the last part he slowly runs his hands through the boys light orange hair and towards his soft cheeks. Stroking them gently and making the kid look up at him again, making David give his lips a lick at how soft and cute the boy is, "So I'm not a stranger anymore, right?".

"I ... guess you're right. Okay! I'm Kevin, nice to meet you David", Kevin feels a bit more relieved that he doesn't break his mothers most important rule anymore.

"Well Kevin, since we're now friends how about you come with me and I'll get you your favorite Candies", the brunette chuckles softly as he takes the boys tiny hands in his, massaging them with his thumbs. Suppressing any signs of his attraction towards Kevin as good as he can when he saw the wide and innocent smile the kid directs at him. The child gives David an eager nod and starts talking about all the candies he likes. "I will get you all of them, Cutey. But can I carry you? It would go faster when I could carry you".

That makes Kevin pause for a moment, somehow it gave him a weird dreadful feeling which he can't explain. But shrugging it off and giving his new friend a happy nod. "Sure! The faster, the better!".

David gives the boy a small smile, getting excited about the fact to touch the ginger more. Pulling the kid closer to his body, this time letting out a small moan at the scent of Kevin filling his nose. Looking around to see if anyone is watching, but seeing how most left already and the adults are to busy with their own children to pay them any attention. Knowing that makes the man smirk and getting a bit more daring by wrapping his large arms around the tiny frame of Kevin and giving a soft kiss on the boys right side of his neck. Not be able to suppress his attraction this time, he shifts inside his light blue jeans which became uncomfortably tight for him. Already thinking about all the things he would do to the innocent child, he couldn't help but grin widely.

Just as he was about to lift and carry to boy with him, a angry and loud voice of a female reaches his ears. Making him and Kevin look towards the direction of the voice and David freezes. Seeing those long dark orange hair shifting behind a pale and beautiful woman, he knew immediately that he is in trouble. "Hey! What are you doing with my son?! Let go of him this instant!", it is Kevin's mother angered voice.

Letting go of the boy and standing tall again, he glances to the sides. The very few adults left now turned their eyes towards them, watching in surprise and confusion what is going on there. Cursing under his breath and debating with himself if he should just grab Kevin and run for it or if he should just give up it up and leave the scene. However the Boys happy voice startled him before he could make a decision. "Mama! You're finally here! Look! This is my new friend David!", he can see the older ginger's face go from confused at her sons words to a dark murderous glare.

As David saw the woman starting to run towards them, he curses loudly and runs away from them. Making the boy gasp and surprise and watch the older man's figure disappearing around a corner. Confused about the whole thing he made a little jump as his mother's long and slender arms wrap around him and picking him off the ground. "Mama? What is wrong?", Kevin asks as he sees his mother's teary and frightened eyes.

The older woman looked her boy over, making sure nothing was wrong with him and then hugged him tightly. Almost had harm come to her precious child, she couldn't help but let her tears escape. Cursing herself to had taken so long before finally appearing, barely be able to keep her baby boy safe. "Oh god, Kevin! I'm so terribly sorry for taking so long my sweetheart!", sobbing softly into her sons neck. In her head already scenes of what would had happened if she didn't came in time.

Kevin however is confused and feels like he did something horrible, though he does not know exactly what. Hugging his mother back and tearing himself up with having to witness his normally strong and proud mother crying. He feels like he disappointed his mother somehow and rather wants his mother to be mad at him instead of crying. "I'm sorry mommy. Please stop being sad", hearing his mother chuckle softly at his word, feeling the shake of that against his body.

"Oh Kevin, my sweet , sweet baby. Mommy is not sad, I was just scared that that something horrible might had happened to you", pulling out of the hug, still carrying the boy in her arms and giving him a wet smile. Seeing his mother's wet from the tears face, he reaches towards her face with his small hands and wipes the wet substance away. The older ginger giggled at her sons caring action and gives him a soft kiss on his tiny nose. "Let's go home, Mommy was shopping for food before she came here and plans on cooking her little prince some of my yummy spaghetti bologna!", smiling at him as he cheered loudly at those news. However she does not plan on letting what happened with that David slide. "But before that we have to call the police and you'll give them all the information they need, alright?", at that Kevin was confused but not wanting to make his mother sad again he nods in agreement.

It is five minutes to five o'clock in the late afternoon as they finally got home. They live in the New Penneywell Road, Canada. In a three-rooms apartment with three people, having Kevin's parents sleep on the big beige folding couch in the living room with the open kitchen in it and Kevin having his own small room to stay in. Kevin's parents moved in together into that apartment as they were teenagers and stayed ever since. They couldn't afford a better place at the time and with the marriage and birth of Kevin they decided that if they would move, they would move out of this town. Kevin's father works in a candy factory, bringing his son always some of his favorites home and his mother works in a supermarket as cashier. While she can bring Kevin to Kindergarten and also pick him up there as well, her husband isn't home that much since he starts early in the morning and comes only back home at sic o'clock in the evening. Both working hard and saving most of the money for the time they'll move, since both agreed that they want a nice house with garden for Kevin to play in and a peaceful neighborhood with a lot of kids for their son to finally get some friends. The main reason for the little ginger to have no friends is because his mother doesn't like the neighborhood and don't want her son to run around outside, but the other is that Kevin with his long light orange hair gets bullied a lot by the other kids. So till then they save the money and having Kevin's father already searching for a different work place. The uncle of the ginger who lives in Peach Creek also helps by searching for both a job and house for them in his Town, calling every time he finds something and keep looking. Peach Creek , in the USA, that's actually where they want to go, having a family member there and a lot of opportunities for their son.

"Alright! I will start making the food and you'll go and watch some of your cartoons, I think the Looney Tunes are in now", hearing that, Kevin runs imminently towards the couch and literally throws himself on it, making his mother laugh at her child's excitement about a TV show and shaking her head in amusement.

She hears the TV in the background and her sons giggles as she goes to the kitchen, preparing the promised spaghetti bologna. After twenty five minutes they hear the front door opening and a deep man's voice calls out, "Kathleen? Can you give me a hand here?".#

The woman looks confused towards her husbands voice and calls back to him, "I can't, John. I'm in the kitchen cooking but I'm sur-" she couldn't even finish the sentence before a loud child's voice interrupts her.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! You're home!", Kevin calls out, running towards his father and jump hugs him tightly, making the blond man drop the two big packages he was holding in order to catch his son and hug him back.

"Hey my little champ! I missed you too", John chuckles as his son imminently starts talking about every little thing that happened today, making wild gestures with his whole body while talking. Dropping his son gently back on his feet he listens with one ear and walks over to his cooking wife, hugging her from behind and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Making the dark orange haired woman giggle and turning her head a bit towards him to kiss him on the lips. However that John pulls back in surprise as he hears his son mentioning what happened with David, "Wait what?!".

Kathleen sighing at it, "First we should get those packages before they'll get stolen. Kevin! Help your Father with those please!". Both males nodding at the woman's demand, making their way towards the still open door and get the big packages. John carrying one with ease while Kevin has to pull the other, which is a bit smaller as the other, with some struggles and closing the front door. Once having everything settled, Kathleen explains her Husband what happened, who was keeping growling at the information he was getting. "I explained Kevin again to not trust strangers so easily, even if he knows their names and some little information about them, it doesn't mean they're no longer strangers. Right sweetheart?", smiling satisfied when the little boy nods and looks into her husbands sea green eyes, knowing the man is still angered at what happened.

Looking back into his wives amber brown eyes for a few minutes, seeing in her eyes that she asks him not to get too worked up about it and gives a defeated sigh. Smiling happily she gives him a long and loving kiss as a reward, making the man roll his beautiful eyes in a playful manner before joining his son on the couch and watching TV with him. As soon John sits down, Kevin cuddles close to the tall and muscular man. The older man wraps his strong arms around his precious kid in a protective way. It was peaceful and relaxing again, watching her two boys on the couch, Kathleen smiles at the cute scene before turning on the lights as it got darker outside and calling them for dinner. They weren't rich, their neighborhood was shitty and dangerous, but at moments like that non of them could care one bit. After they finished john like always would pull down all blinds in the apartment, just to make sure and double lock the front door while Kathleen and Kevin wash the dishes together and clean up the kitchen. That's when Kevin remembers about the big packages again.

"Daddy? What's in those packages?", blinking at the question he then also remembers that he had great news for his family, but the whole David case made him forget about it completely. Chuckling at himself he waves at them both to come over and help him open the packages.

"Ah! Right I almost forgot. I have very great news for us all and brought some gifts to blow your minds!", John grins at his son who eagerly rips those packages.

"Blow our minds huh? Well come at me big boy I'm ready for everything!", Kathleen teases her handsome husband who in return gives her a playful wink.

"I don't think you are babe but I do like your spirit! Well I got a ca-", he was interrupted by his sons loud and cheerful scream.

"A BIKE! MOMMY LOOK! A BIKE!", Kevin screams and jumps happily around the silver BMX Bike for kids, then throws himself onto his father with a big hug. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! YOU'RE THE BEST DADDY IN THE WORLD!, still screaming in excitement and pure happiness as he clings to his father, who laughs at his son's action.

"Now, now! Calm down champ! You will make the neighbors sending complains about being to loud at evenings", looking up at his wife because she was very silent the whole time and sees her positively shocked expression directed towards her gift, which was a big silver metallic sign to hang up that says "I love you" in big bold letters and covered with little red heart lamps.

"Babe? Do you like it?", his voice made her look up at him and surprises him as she also hugs him, making all three of them fall with Kevin and Kathleen on top of a laughing John. Who was being covered with kisses all over his face by his wife and a Kevin that won't stop snuggling onto his chest. " Oh wow! Hey, you two! Mind if I can get up again? You're getting pretty heavy", John jokes and finally was releases from affection shower.

"It's is amazing! I can't even put in words all the emotions you made me feel with that! But I have to ask, how you got the money for all this?!", Kathleen still grinning at her husband, holding herself back from jumping him again and ravish every single part of her man.

"Now we finally get to the real cake! Like I tried to say before I got jumped like a rock star by his screaming fan girls", that made Kevin giggle and Kathleen roll her eyes in a playful way, "I got two great calls this morning. One was from a jawbreaker factory, which I a application to, telling me that I got the job!". Both Kevin and Kathleen cheering loudly for the man and telling him their congratulations, "And the other call was from Mark, telling me that just three houses are for sale in Peach Creek! Now guess where the jawbreaker factory is!".

Kathleen gasps at that, "You don't mea-".

"Yeps! In Peach Creek! They'll send the contract tomorrow and I already called for one of the free houses and will also get the contract of that coming this week!", he grabs his wives hands and hold them tightly in his, looking into her eyes, "We finally did it babe! After three years of working so hard, we finally get what we wanted!".

The dark orange haired woman started to tear up with such strong emotions, she feared she'll explode any second, "When?", was all she could manage at the moment.

"after I got the contract and payed the first part for the house we can move in next year at the twenty-second January. At the moment there are still an elderly lady living there but she will move to her daughter, who lives outside of Peach Creek. They also have renovate the house a bit first after she moves out. The job at the jawbreaker factory I'll start at the twelfth February, the month after. It's so perfect, I'm a bit afraid that I'm dreaming all this", John explains his beloved wife.

Kathleen finally letting her tears escape and laughing as she again hugs her man, "I'm so happy! So, so ,so Happy!". The man wrapping his arms around his small and slim woman, they whispering sweet nothings to each other while Kevin just stares at them in confusion before just shrugging his little shoulders and join them in the hug.

The same week the contracts arrived and everything was settled, for the couple it meant a brighter future for all of them and for Kevin it meant a new beginning, hopefully full of joy and love. The months just went by with Kevin being excited all the time, Kathleen and John feeling like hovering all the time on a little cloud. Even the week before the moving was not stressing for them at all, nothing could ruin it for them. The plane tickets ready, most of their things already send to Peach Creek and their bags packet. The couple got their last checks in December, Kevin got out of the Kindergarten also in December and today was the day they'll leave behind their old life and start a new one. It was six o'clock in the morning and still dark outside as John wakes up, gently removing the arm of his truly stunning wife around him and shuts off the alarm. Stretching out his still tired body and running his hand through his short blond hair, he watched the sleeping form of his love a while before leaning towards her and kiss her awake. However besides of a cute little sigh she didn't react, so he gently shakes her awake, "Wake up sleeping beauty! Today is the day we're moving into our little castle!". Chuckling softly as she mumbles some random insults at him and slowly opening her amber brown eyes, giving him a glare which only made him chuckle even more, _"she is always such a grumpy in the morning"_.

"Morning ...", mumbles the woman, stretching out on the bed like a cat and rolling over on her back. Rubbing her eyes and yawning, she gives him a soft.

John at first can only stare like always at his wife. Her adorable tired eyes looking up to him, her dark orange long hair spread all around her and the bed, all he can think of is how lucky he is to have such a beauty every day by his side, _"if an artist would draw her like she is right now, I think they'll be famous and swim in money the very moment it gets public"_. Slowly getting on top of her and nuzzling her neck, breathing in her scent. "you're breathtaking, you know that babe? I will never get enough of you", he admits softly to her and knows it's true, he'll never be able to love anyone as much as he loves her.

Chuckling at her husband, Kathleen wraps her arms around his neck, softly and lovingly stroking up and down his blond bed hair and strong neck, "You're always such a romantic in the morning, not that I'm complaining I do enjoy that a lot. You may continue feeding my ego", smirking up at him as he pulls back to grin at her. Pulling him down into a heated and long kiss, before letting go of him.

John getting off of her and out of the bed which is also a couch, he walks towards Kevin's room, "Well how couldn't I with a woman like you by my side? Though I have to admit that after a night like that, the morning seems so awesome!", he smirks at her over his shoulder and catches the wink she send him before opening the door to Kevin's room and looks at the usual little bundle of child and blanket on the bed._"how does he manage that?"_, the blond chuckles before making his way towards the bed and trying to figure out where exactly his son's head is in all that mess.

In the meantime Kathleen finally managed to sit up and getting off the bed. Starting to fold the bedspreads together and folds the bed back together into a couch, _"Finally getting rid of that ugly thing. Can't wait to sleep the first time in a real bed again"_, she sighs softly before walking towards her child's room. Leaning against the door frames she watches her half-naked man trying to unwrap Kevin, who in return mewls and groans like a annoyed kitten. "Need some help Blondie?".

Just then, john finally got to unwrap his son who groans at him and trying to wrap himself back into the warm blanket. Not letting him, john picks the little guy up who in response wraps his legs and arms around the man and presses himself against his father's naked upper body. Eyes still closed as he got carried out of the room, leaving his mother to fold his bedspread as well and carry it to the others. While Kathleen puts their bedspreads into a big bag, her husband sits on the couch and turns on the TV, changing the channel to some cartoons for his son. Holding Kevin close and whispering to him that he has to wake up. It's a morning routine both Dorn's have to do in order to get Kevin awake and in a good mood, because a tired Kevin was a bitchy Kevin that stays like that for the rest of the day. They found that out the hard way, so ever since they simply carry the little ginger to the couch, turn on some cartoon for him and whispering to him till he is fully awake. It takes at least half a hour to get Kevin awake, but it was worth it for them. Many would say that they spoil their son to much and neither would deny it, it was always a mix of gotten parents to early, having to work that much and not be able to give Kevin a normal life, they covered their fears and guilt with spoiling the kid with as much love and affection they can. Though it did not mean that they weren't strict parents as well, the little guy had to learn to do his chores and that he can't get everything he wants. Seeing how Kevin turned out filled them with pride and the knowledge that they did a good job for what the situation was.

"daddy?", comes a little mumble from his lap and John smiles down at the sleepy face, having two big adorable sea green eyes staring up at him, trying to blink out the tiredness of them.

"Good morning little champ. Did you sleep well?", his voice filled with affection as a lazy hand strokes through long light orange hair. Kathleen adored those hair and always made sure they're taken care of and John finds them cute, finding that with the long hair Kevin looks so much like his mother, _"he'll gonna make a lot of girls going crazy for him"_.

"We're going to go on a plane today?".

"Yes, high up in the sky, like a bird!".

"And we're going to our new house?".

"Yes, with a garden, a lot of other kids living there and a big playground just around the corner!".

"Will I be able to use my bike a lot?".

"Yes but I will teach you how you ride it before, alright?".

"Yes … Daddy, I decided to give my bike a name".

"Oh! And you have any ideas already?".

"I will name it babe … because you call mommy babe too and babe means something cool right?".

"...".

"Daddy?".

"...".

"...".

And John couldn't help himself but break down laughing loudly, with Kathleen who went to the bathroom to get ready walking back into the bathroom and staring at her laughing husband, "what exactly is so funny? What's going on?", a now awake Kevin just shrugs at her, being confused himself about his father laughing so much.

Slowly calming down John just waves her off, "I'll tell you later. but I believe it's Kevin's turn to get ready, now that the bathroom is finally free again".

"I'm a woman, I need my time!", huffs the older ginger at her husband who just winks at her. Now wearing a a green long sleeved sweater and black jeans. Her hair neatly combed is open and her dark orange bangs framing her face. Her cherry red lips now turn upwards into a teasing smile as she walks into the kitchen, "anyway, I'll make us a nice breakfast so we don't go with an empty stomach".

"Right! Kevin and I will get ready now, right little champ?", his response is a eagerly nodding boy who jumps off his lap and runs into the bathroom, John not to far behind and closes the door behind them.

"_ugh! Great now I can later wish the bathroom again! I really need to teach those two not to use the bathroom as a swimming pool!"_, Kathleen sighs and continues preparing the breakfast, deciding that she will also make some sandwiches since the food on the plane is horrible. Already hearing the laughs and giggles of her two boys through the bathroom door followed by several splashing sounds of water.

After a hour they were ready to go, leaving John looking the door of their apartment and putting their bags into the taxi car they had called to pick them up. Having sold their old car for a bit cash on hand and left Kevin's old bed and the Couch behind. Kevin and John have matching red sweaters with the older having dark blue and the younger Black jeans. The little kids long hair was put together in a low hanging ponytail and blond just simply spiked his hair up a bit. While his wife and son wait in the car he went inside the building again to give the keys to the homeowner, coming back and entering the car as well they took off towards the airport. It only took twenty minutes before they reached the airport and paid the taxi driver, John carrying most of their things with Kathleen and Kevin carrying the smaller and less heavier bags. Everything went smoothly at the airport with them even having ten minutes extra time. Then finally they got on the plane, Which John will not admit but made him uncomfortable, however Kevin had fun on the plane. Till Kevin got bored and things started to get even more uncomfortable for john, while Kathleen tried the whole time to keep her boys under control with Kevin always running off and bothering the stewardesses and John freaking out with each little shake of the plane. It was save to say that Kathleen was more than happy as they reached ground again and promised herself to never fly with those two chaotic males again. Waiting for them at the airplane was Mark, Kathleen's younger brother.

"Uncle Mark!", a still hyperactive Kevin yells loudly and runs towards his uncle, who catches him and hugs him close. Lifting the little boy and spins around with him a bit, both laughing in joy at the reunion. Putting the the little light orange haired kid on his feet, Mark gives him one of his infectious happy smiles.

"Hey little gingerbread! Did you miss me?", putting a finger in his mouth to wet it and stick it into Kevin's ear, making the kid squeal in disgust.

"Ew! Uncle! That's disgusting!", rubbing his ear and trying to do the same to the older boy, who easily just stands up and get out of reach for the boy.

"Mark! You're eighteen years old! Be at least more mature, You're a role model to Kevin!", Kathleen huffs annoyed. Not really bothered by it but she had to deal with John and Kevin on the plane her temper was shorter as usual and she already is a very temperamental woman.

However Mark being her younger brother is also a very temperamental young man, so he huffs back at her, "First of you're only three years older than me princess and secondly I do not appreciate being bitched at by you after not seeing you for so long! If you don't hug me in the next ten seconds I will let only drive John and Kevin and let you walk all the way to Peach Creek!".

"Mark! Don't cuss while Kevin is there!".

"One ...".

"Ugh! Mark please ...".

"Two …".

"As if you would dare to do that".

"Six!".

"Counting trouble eh? You skipped a few there pal".

"Eight!".

"Fine! you big baby!".

John just chuckles at the two siblings as they pull each other in a tight hug and talking about how much they missed the other. Watching how Kevin joins into the hug and giggling happily all the way. Seeing those three gingers who he would die for if necessary and can't help but notice that Mark and Kathleen look very much alike, like twins. With mark just being as pale, tall and slim as his wife and the fact that they share the same eye color and hair color doesn't help either, even having the almost same hairstyle. With marks open hair reaching his shoulders and dark orange bangs framing his slim and long face. Now with that long hair, Kevin looking like a boy version of a mini Kathleen, _"hm … I'm surrounded by gingers"_. Mark calling John, be able to pull the blond out of his thoughts and is at once being hugged in an almost bone crushing way, _"gosh, all this training and sport made really strong!"_.

"Hey John! Don't worry I still like you the most! you're obviously the cool one in this relationship!", after releasing the taller man, Mark punches him lightly on the arm. "Man I missed you all! So happy you guys live now in Peach Creek and that we're Neighbors!".

"Missed you too Mark and good to know I'm still your favorite, sadly I can't say the same since your sister would punch me back to Canada", his sea green eyes shine as he laughs but stops when he realizes what Mark said, "Neighbors? You live in Cul-De-Sac as well?".

Mark grins at his sisters husband, "not just in, but right besides you pal! With Mom".

"Awesome! Uncle lives just besides us! Isn't that cool!", Kevin cheers loudly while jumping around like a little bunny.

"That's actually really great!", Kathleen agrees and so does john with wrapping his arm around the smaller man and grinning at him.

"well don't too get used to it, because in a few months I will go to the Princeton University in New Jersey", wrapping his arm around Johns hips as they both turn to face Kevin and Kathleen. Kevin stopped jumping around instantly upon hearing that and frowns.

"This is Stupid! We just arrived and you already plan to go away and leave me behind!", the little kid starts tearing up and crosses his arms, giving everyone an adorable pout.

"Aw! But I ain't gone yet bunny boy. Only in a few months which is a long time, so no need to get upset", releasing John and walking over to pick up the pouting boy, hugging him tightly and trying to comfort him. "Tell you what, I will only spend every free minute I got with you! Playing baseball, basketball, soccer and teaching you how to skateboard! How does that sound? We got a deal?".

Sniffing one last time and wiping the tears in his eyes away with his hands, Kevin gives his uncle a big smile and nod, "Deal!".

"Choice! Now let's get moving everybody! We stood around here long enough it's time to get you guys to your new home! Mom and I already took a bit care of your house and tried to make it as comfortable as possible for you guys.", with that they all got the bags into the red Maruti Baleno car and drove towards Peach Creek. It took only twenty minutes for John and Kevin to fall asleep on the Backseat, with Johns arm around his little kid and Kevin snuggling close to his father. Mark and Kathleen stayed awake, watching the two sleeping so adorably and talking about almost everything they could talk about. Two hours later they finally arrived Peach Creek and soon the Cul-De-Sac, waking the two sleepy heads up get out of the car. Mark throwing his arms wide open and spin around to face them as the three stare in awe at the an average house that comes with a small garage and a big wide lawn that was taken care of. The walls are beige on the first floor wall, but mint green on the second floor. The housetop has the color peach and a chimney can be seen sticking out on the left side of the house. The main door and the garage door are white and look cleaned, "Welcome home! Pretty neat huh?".

all they could do was nod and continue staring, till Kevin yells loudly, "I call dibs on the most awesome room!" and runs towards the door and opens it, just to run into a woman that was not older than forty seven who was just about to leave the house.

"Oh my. Carefu-", she stops as she got a good look on Kevin and then gasps in surprise, "Kevin is that you?!".

Kevin was a bit confused and took a good look of the woman before him. Seeing her long light orange hair pulled back in a ponytail, with her bangs tugged behind her ears, revealing her pearl earrings and as he looks closely he realizes that this woman looks a lot like his mommy, just older.

"Grandma?", not really sure of it because he always thought his grandmother was much older, like in movies and TV shows and not so young.

Chuckling softly at the boys confusion and nods, "Yes, not what you thought of a grandma right?", she smiles at the boys nod before a other voice made her look up towards where the voice came.

"Mother? Oh my god! Mom!", Kathleen calls out as she sees her, running towards the woman and hugging her. "Oh god, I missed you so much!", pulling back she took a good look at her mother, who did the same, "You look amazing!".

"Now you know where you got your good looks and it seems you gave a lot of those genes to Kevin here", nodding towards the boy, before hugging her daughter again.

"Aw ain't that cute eh John?", Mark comments to John and he walks towards the hugging women. Getting Kathleen's mother's attention and both turn to face the two men.

"Oh my! You look even better in person John! Was about time we'll meet, I mean those pictures you two always send me are nice but nothing beats the face-to-face way and I gotta say my daughter did choose one yummy looking man!", making John blush at the straight forwardness of the older woman.

"Oh … um … thanks, Mrs. Barr?", rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment and earning laughter from the other.

"Oh please, John! No need to be so formal here, it's Madeleine! I'm already feeling old enough with Kevin calling me grandma!", the older woman laughs while clapping onto John's shoulder.

"Alright Madeleine", Picking his son up and starts entering the house through the main door, greeted by the open hallway part of the living room and light brown wood stairs leading to the second floor of the house. On the left is no door, just a two meters wall and everything else open, being the living room. on the left two withe doors that, the first leads to the garage and the second to the kitchen. a wooden floor that goes as far as the little wall part and then there is a light blue carpet that is together with the living room, the wall is white. "Anyway I think we stood around here long enough! I want to check out our new home!", and Kevin loudly agrees with his father.

The other followed the two into the house and closed the door behind them. While Madeleine and Mark already did a lot of the work for the family, they didn't had to do a lot for the day and the three newcomers used that to look around the house. The living room already contains a green and dark green couch for three people to sit on and a easy sofa in the same colors, which they got from Madeleine. Both facing towards the large TV that John bought a week before and got it send there, told his wife that he got himself a gift as well, making the ginger women both roll their eyes at him. between the TV, the couch and sofa stood a wooden coffee table. The fireplace a few meters away from the TV and more towards the dining part of the living room, which made Kathleen literally flip out and go on and on about how amazing it is. In the dinning area of the living room is a round wooden table with five wooden chairs around it, that one Kathleen got to choose and like the TV it got send there. At the end of the whole area is the glass veranda door that leads to the garden. The garden starts as a wooden porch with a Patio Roof protecting the porch and the outdoors things, that they still have to get yet, from the weather. The garden is big and wide, made all the three Dorn's run around happily and enjoy it. However Kevin wanted to go upstairs and see his room, though he did not like it that Mark already got him his room and didn't let the boy choose for himself, Mark promised Kevin that he got him the best room and apparently it was enough for the boy not to frown anymore. While Madeleine went to make some coffee in the little standard version of the kitchen with counter tops, an oven, fridge and everything else a kitchen needs with everything in withe besides of the blue walls and the tiled floor that is both blue and withe. The others went upstairs as Kevin repeatedly demanded them to go with him to, being faced with a door on the right that leads to the big average bathroom which has a big withe bathtub with a shower trailer, a towel rack, a transparent shower curtain, withe Cupboards and a big withe cabinet with the Sink being a part of it. On the left side an other door which leads to the Bedroom with a a large double bed in the middle and on each side a wooden bedside cabinet. At the opposite of the bed and right besides the door, a big wooden wardrobe. Kathleen grabbed John's hand and pulled him along to the bed, both dropping face first onto it and giggling like little kids. Both so happy to finally have a real bed and they end up cuddling on it, whispering sweet nothing at each other. Till an eager Kevin jumps onto the bed to join them, having the couple being pulled out of their little dream world and cuddling with their son. Mark watched the three with amusement before reminding them that they still haven't seen Kevin's room, which of course got Kevin excited and demand from his parents to see his room. Walking along side the stairs fence that is around the Stairs opening and down the small hall on the second floor, till they reach the door of Kevin's room which is on the same side as his the bedroom. Kevin's room is big, giving a lot of space for him to play. Having a big bed, bedspread, a wooden dresser with a bedside cabinet right besides it. On the right side of the door a dresser and on the left side a wardrobe, a desk with a simple chair of the same wooden substance as the desk and the left side of the room ends with simple slim bookcase, filling out the corner. Kevin was very happy about his new and better room, but it was not what made him squeal happily. In the middle of the room stood his silver bike he got from his father months before, he never got to learn how to ride it and was very happy to hear that his father will start tomorrow to teach him. In the hall again, Mark showed them what the last door on the other side of Kevin's room is for. It's a simple storeroom for them, for which was John grateful for because in the apartment they didn't had a lot of space and everything that took space away had to go away, at least now they can choose to keep it without it being a problem later on. Just as they finished the tour, Madeleine's voice called from down stairs.

"I got the coffee and hot cocoa ready here! With a little surprise!", the little boy was the first to run down stairs as he heard that his grandma got a 'surprise' for him with the other following him but rather walking. Madeline stood in the living room by the table, placing the last plate down and gave Kevin a sweet smile, "Calm down little man, the surprise ain't gonna run away".

"What is the surprise grandma?!", Kevin running towards his grandma and jumping excited up and down.

Madeleine laughs at the cute little ginger, "Well I baked an nice apple pie today, just for you guys! With a yummy whipped vanilla scream and a huge bag full of toys that your uncle and grandma bought for you!".

"Choice! I wanna see! I wanna see! Gimme, gimme gimme!".

"First we all will sit together and enjoy the pie, then you can unpack your toys with Mark, alright?", the older woman ruffles the boys light orange hair and smiles as at the other, who entered the room a few minutes ago.

"Mom! All that wasn't really necessary, you and Mark already did so much for us!", comments the younger woman as she sits down with the other.

"Oh shut up and just thank us! Of course we would do all this for you guys, we finally together again! If it was for Mark we would already be in the middle of a huge party!", Madeleine laughs as she puts Kevin on her lap and lets Mark cut the pie, giving everyone a piece.

"Well thank you Madeleine, it means a lot to us and we're also happy that there is no party full of teenagers. Some peace does us good", John laughs and earns a light punch from Mark.

They all ate together, continue talking and joking around while Kevin gets babied by his grandma, who seem to can't stop kissing and cuddling the little boy. Making Kevin whine and complain sometimes that he isn't a baby, which gets ignored by the older woman. After the relaxing lunch and coffee, for Kevin hot cocoa, Mark hand gets grabbed by the little boy and pulled towards the big bag of presents for him. While the three other put away the dishes and then sit on the couch together, with John claiming the sofa as his. Kevin was busy with Mark unpacking all the gifts they bought for him which contains; some toy cars and action figures, several parts from Lego city and some sport equipment like a soccer ball, baseball with a baseball bat, a football with a little helmet and basketball with a basketball stand in the garden which they used to play in the garden while the other sat in the big and open living room, drinking coffee and talking about everything they could come up with. The house is even better as the couple thought it would be and Kevin loves it as well.

Madeleine and Mark said their goodbyes as it got late and went back to their house which was just on the right side of the Dorn's house. Kathleen put their names on the mail box and on the doorbell before locking the door behind her. Out of habit John started to pull down the blinds on the first floor of the house and joined his most precious people on the couch, watching a Disney movie that started on the TV. Allowing Kevin to stay up past eight o'clock in the evening, who fell asleep on his father's lap. Smiling at their kid, he carried Kevin to his bed and gave him a kiss on the forehead before laying him down into his bed. Kathleen who followed watched them from the door and kissed the taller man on the lips as he walked up to her and pulling her into an embrace. Both turned one last time towards their sleeping son before shutting off the lights and closing the door. While Kathleen got herself ready for bed, John turned ff the lights in the house and the TV and went to the bedroom, taking off his clothes but leaving on his dark gray boxer shorts. Kathleen joined him into bed with a white shirt and fitting panties, both kissing and cuddling under the covers. The outside being peaceful and quiet, promising the couple a perfect night.

The next morning it is still peaceful, no sound besides some birds singing their songs outside. John is like always the first to wake up and looked over at his wife and son, cuddling each other. Kevin woke up at some point in the night and started crying loudly for his parents, normally Kevin would just go to pee or back to sleep but he was confused as he realized that he is not in his old room anymore and then got scared. It will take some time with Kevin to finally getting used to everything, till then they'll have to calm down a little scared kid and bring him to bed with them for the rest of the night. However John can't be bothered by it to much, he had great sex with his wife and nothing will be able to ruin the day for him, _"Damn! I don't think anything for a whole week will bother me!"_. Stretching his body before he got out of bed, no need to wake them up he puts on a shirt and goes downstairs, pulling up the blinds in the house and let the sun bring light into the house. Looking out of the window and just enjoying the peaceful scenery outside, _"this is perfect, I'm so happy everything worked out just fine!"_. He notices a newspaper on the grass of his lawn and blinks at it, _"We're getting free newspapers here?! And they get delivered to our house?! CHOICE!"_. He puts on his shoes and unlocks the door, running outside to pick up the newspaper and takes a good look outside, seeing that they have a newspaper on their lawn, _"So no stealing my shit … SUPER CHOICE! This is the best neighborhood in the world!"_. He checks his mail and finds several welcoming cards and two letters, one from the jawbreaker fabric and the other from old house owner from whom they bought the house. Opening the two letters and finding the signed contracts and welcoming cards as well, _"Everyone is welcoming us … so nice! So different from New Pennewell Road"_. He remembers the first time they moved in, they got nothing but neighbors complaining for moving their stuff to loud and gotten called 'good for nothing teens' a several times. He had to hold Kathleen back from punching them each times and it only got worse as they got Kevin, Kathleen being sixteen and he seventeen they often had no idea what to do when the baby cried. He remembers Kathleen crying in both frustration and fear a lot of times at first, it made him feel helpless and useless not to be able to keep his wife from crying. The fact that no one wanted to help them or even show a bit of understanding made it worse, at some points John even wanted to have Kevin out of their life, _"I'm happy we stayed strong … I can't even think of a life without my little boy anymore"_. John got pulled out of his memories as he heard the giggle of a child and turns his head towards the direction it came, seeing a little boy peeking around the wooden fence each house has. It was the neighbor's kid from the house to the left of his, the boy was smaller than Kevin and has more color on his skin as his pale little boy. The little one had big metallic blue eyes and short black hair, high cheekbones that made it hard for John to not just walk over to the boy and pinch his cheeks, _"Daww! The little buddy is adorbs!"_.

John lifting his hand and wave at the boy, "Hey little champ! I'm John, I moved here yesterday with my family and who are you?".

"Eddy, I'm Eddy".

"Eddy is a cool name! How old are you?", at that Eddy smiles brightly at the man.

"Yeah it's a pretty cool name huh? Oh and I'm already five years old, I'm almost a grown up like you", that made John chuckle and seeing the boy coming out of his hiding spot to puff out his chest and standing proudly.

"Five already!", John gives an impressed whistle, "I got a son who is also five years old, his name is Kevin. Maybe you and Kevin will play together a bit later and become super cool friends! He could need a cool friend like you!".

"You think I'm cool?", Eddy is a bit taken aback which makes John frown a bit, not understanding why the boy even ask him.

"Well yes of course Eddy! Why would you even question that?".

"Well because big brother never said I'm cool and he is the coolest in all Peach Creek!".

Not liking what he hears, John just huffs in annoyance, _"A big brother shouldn't make their little brother feel like that! Sure teasing and mocking them a bit like Mark does with Kevin is okay but not making them insecure like that!"_. "Well Eddy I gotta say I find you super cool and I think you're way cooler as you brother!".

"Really?! Oh wow … I think you're cool too!", Eddy smiles brightly at the man and giggles happily.

"Why thank you Eddy! I hope you and Kevin will be good friends!", John really hopes his son will get a friend to play with since he lacked that in their old home.

"Of course! But I have to go back inside … I will ask Kevin later to play with me and my friend ed!", the boy calls out happily before running back inside his house, waving at John, who waves back at the boy, before closing the door behind him.

John chuckles at himself and also reenters his house, having left the front door open the whole time and closes it behind him. Putting the Newspaper, welcoming cards and two letters on the kitchen counter as he starts making a nice breakfast for his family, _"Kathleen and Kevin both love pancakes with Nutella … and I'll make Kevin a hot cocoa again!"_. He starts with turning on the coffee machine they took with them and then continues with the pancakes. Meanwhile in the bedroom Kevin starts to wake up and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, looking around and not knowing where he is for a few minutes before remembering everything again, relaxing again he starts poking his mommy who is still asleep.

"Mommy? Mommy … wake up … Daddy isn't here anymore", receiving a groan and mumble from his mother and Amber brown locks with sea green.

"Morning baby boy … what time is it?", the woman yawns softly before stretching out her body.

Kevin crawls towards the bedside cabinet on his fathers side of the bed, with is the right side and grabs Johns mobile phone on it. Pressing the unlock bottom on the side and looks at the time it shows, "Twenty two minutes past ten o'clock, mommy!". Feeling proud of himself for be able to read the clock.

"Oh! I'm pretty sure daddy is downs stairs making us breakfast already! We should go and say good morning, don't you think?", Kevin nods and starts crawling out of the big bed, having his little green shorts on and a blue T-shirt. Kathleen following her son but putting on one of her husbands boxer shorts before following Kevin downstairs.

Hearing the two coming down the stairs John calls out from the kitchen, "Good morning you two! Did you sleep well?", turning as he finished dropping the last pancake on the top of ten other he put on a plate and turns around to smile at them, noting the wild orange bed hair both have.

"Good morning daddy!", Kevin yells and runs towards his father to hug the blond man's long and muscular legs, "I slept well!". John chuckles and ruffles his sons wild hair on the top of his head before getting a cup of coffee and holds it out for his wife to take, knowing how grumpy the woman can be if she doesn't get her coffee any time soon.

"Morning", mumbles Kathleen before grabbing the cup and taking a long sip from it, "also slept well and from the smile on your face I can tell you slept well too".

"Well with the great goodnight I got last night, every man would sleep great after that!", winking at his wife and earns a soft laugh from his wife. "I made pancakes! I'll just gonna serve the breakfast to the table while you two go and wait there".

"Pancakes! With Nutella?", a nod from his father and Kevin runs giggling out of the kitchen and to the table in the living room. Kathleen kissing her husband first before joining her son. John joining them after having served the breakfast and they all eat peacefully together, starting the day with a great breakfast.

"Hey champ! I got to meet the boy that lives right besides us, on the left side! Is a cool kid and he would come later with a friend of his to play with you!", John informs his son and making his wife smile, they both find the idea of Kevin running around with his friends outside great.

"Really? Choice!", Kevin giggles before stopping as a thought crossed his mind, "But what if they don't like me or making fun of my hair?", He remembers how the other kids in his old home always made fun of his long light orange hair, calling him girls names and saying he looks like a girl.

"Nah, Eddy seems like a cool kid. He wouldn't do that to you", especially since John knows the boy next to them is to insecure to judge others. Kathleen strokes her son's long hair and smiles at him.

"And your hair is beautiful, the other kids were just envious at your hair.", the woman adores her kid's hair and loves taking care of it for him.

"Okay! Then I can't wait to meet my new friend, maybe we will play with my new toys or play catch or-", and Kevin goes on and on about what he could do with his friends, making his parents giggle at the boys excitement.

"Yeps, but don't forget that today I want to teach you how to drive your babe!", John grins at the fact his son named his bike 'babe' just because that's how he calls his wife. Kathleen giggles at it as well, found it adorable as John explained to her why the little boy named it like that. Both know they have to explain Kevin later why his father calls his mother 'babe' most of the times but for now just enjoy their child's innocence.

After the breakfast, the dishes got put away and washed, everyone getting ready for the day and the adults continued working on the rooms in the house, painting and decorating them. Kathleen wants to paint the living room walls pink, also the entrance hall and the hall on the second floor, much to John's and Kevin's distaste. Kevin got his toys that he left in the living room to his room and helped his father putting his clothes into the wardrobes they have. They placed they're things in the shelves of their dressers, bookcases and cabinets. After that Kevin was allowed to go to the garden and play basketball while his parents continued working in the house. As he played for a while he suddenly hears a voice from an other kid, looking up to the side he sees a boy peeking over the high fence, _"What? Who? How?"_.

"Hello! You must be Kevin!", the boy waves happily at the ginger who still tries to figure out how the boy can peek over the high fence. Upon seeing the shocked and confused expression the other boy giggled cutely, "I'm standing on a few tables that Ed and I put on top each other".

At that an other voice came from the other side of the fence, "Eddy! Say hello from Ed!".

"He can hear you Ed!", Eddy rolls his eyes before yelping as the other boy started to climb on top of the tables too, "No! Ed wait! We're gon-" and with that a loud crash, which made Kevin jump and stare at the place were was the boy peeking over before. Hearing some growling and whining from the other side.

Kevin waited a bit, unsure what to do before calling out for them, "Are you guys alright?", after hearing the boys calling back and ensure that they're alright, Kevin smiled, _"They made all this just to see me and say hi to me … this is so cool!"_.

"Hey Kevin! How about we go out and play? We'll show you all the cool places!", Eddy's voice brought him out of his thoughts and he nods, but realizes that they can't see him anymore.

"Yes! I'll tell my parents and come to the front!", eagerly Kevin runs back inside and tells his parents, both smile at him and wish him a lot of fun with his new friends. Running outside the house to the front he closes the door and turns just to find Eddy and probably Ed waiting for him.

"Hi Kevin! This is my friend Ed", the other waves happily at Kevin. He is the tallest kid of them with light orange short hair, they both had almost the same hairstyle but with Ed having them fully short and Eddy having them longer on the top of his head. Ed is more tanned as Eddy and has freckles all over his skin, has a thick black uni-brow and horse teeth. he made Kevin more comfortable with his long tied into a low ponytail hair.

"Hello Ed! Nice to meet you!", Kevin gives the boy a big smile as said boy just hugged him tightly.

"I like Kevin, Eddy! Can we keep him?", Eddy face-palms at that and explains that they can't keep other kids like they were pets. Kevin giggles at his new friends, finds them funny.

"So what are we going to play today? I got a lot of new toys from my grandma! Oh and a lot of sport balls! We could also play hide and seek!", Kevin suggests eagerly at his friends.

"First we gonna get Double D, he lives just across of you", Eddy tells him and Ed cheers loudly at that, grabbing both kids and carries them over his shoulder before running towards the other boy's house. Having Eddy complaining about how he can walk for himself and Kevin just laughing all the way, _"Another friend?! I'm having three friends now! That is so choice!"_.

Dropping both of the boys, earning a huff from both, Ed knocks several times at the door and rings at least 10 times the doorbell. A voice from the other side calls and tells them that the person is on the way, while Kevin and Eddy were getting up the door opens, revealing a little boy at the same height as Kevin.

"Ed how many time do I have to remind you to be more patient and that one ring on the bell is more than enough to inform me that someone is at my door?!", the boy huffs softly before closing the door behind himself.

"Double D! Look what Eddy and I found! A Kevin!", at that Ed grabs Kevin around his small hips and holding him up towards the other boy like a present. Kevin only smiles shyly and gives the boy a little wave.

"Oh! You must be part of the small family that moved into the house from Mrs. Turner on the other side of this fine street! It's pleasant to make the acquaintance with you Kevin. I'm Eddward Vincent with two D's, hence the nickname Double D. You may call me Double D as well since everyone calls me that", the overly polite boy made Kevin blink at him, _"He talks like a teacher or professor!"_.

"Oh jeez Double D! Cut it down with your big words!", Eddy rolls his Metallic blue eyes and tells Ed to put Kevin back down again, which the taller boy did then.

"Excuse me that i use the English language in the appropriate way", huffs Double D at his friends before smiling a polite and friendly smile at Kevin, showing the boy the big gap between his front teeth. It made Kevin to take a better look at the boy, seeing the black ski hat with two white stripes on each side covering his head and even his eyebrows making his Ice Blue eyes stand out even more. However he sees some of the boys black hair sticking out on the back and it seems his hair reaches his shoulders. It relaxed Kevin about his own hair even more, _"I'm not the only one that has longer than usual hair for boys!"_.

"Well whatever, now that we're all complete, Let's show Kevin around the Cul-De-Sac!", Eddy suggests and making Ed turn to Kevin and look at him with his big emerald green eyes.

"Kevin where do you want to go first?!", Kevin blinks and thinks for a moment, _"Didn't daddy say that there is a playground right around the corner?"_.

"The playground? Daddy said here is a playground close by", before anyone could even say something, Ed picked them all up, even Double D and began to run towards the playground. With Eddy again complaining, Double D just sighing and Kevin wondering how strong the boy is. On the playground Kevin sees other kids playing there too and stares in awe at how big it is, _"Wow! Are all playgrounds so big? Oh! A slide! A seesaw! A climber and a swing! This is the most choice place ever!"_. Ed again drops them off, making Kevin regret letting the boy carry him again.

"Look everyone!", Ed calls out, getting all the kids attention and stop playing for a moment to look at the four. Kevin tries to hide from the stares behind Double D, _"Oh no! My three new friends might like me but what if the other kids don't like me? And what if my new friends then find me lame? And I'm all alone ... AGAIN!"_.

"ED! What is the meaning of this and who is that hiding behind Double D!", a small orange haired girl screams at the taller boy, glaring at him with her emerald eyes as she walks towards them. A boy with the same height as the girl following behind her, he has extremely curly blond hair and sky blue big eyes. He looks at them with a wary expression, like he expects them to do something but Kevin doesn't know why or what he exactly expects. However the girl makes him nervous and making him shrink behind Double D who just smiles at him in amusement.

"Sarah! Look what I found!", Ed looks to his side, seeing no Kevin there and searching a bit for the ginger before finding him behind Double D and grins widely at him before again picking him up and holding him towards everyone to see, just like he did at Double D's house, "A Kevin!", he yells loudly at the kids who by now all walked towards them and staring at the boy.

"No! Don't! Ed! Please put me down again, this is embarrassing!", Kevin yelps and hides his face behind his tiny hands, sea blue eyes shut tightly in fright. He hears the other kids starting to mumble and he can't help but blush a deep red, _"Oh god! I wanna go home! I want my mommy and daddy!"_. Before he knew, he started to cry and surprise Ed.

Putting the boy down on his feed again, Ed was worried that he might had hurt his new friend, "Kevin? Why are you crying? Did I hurt you?". Kevin just lets out a soft sob, still hiding his face and shaking softly. He wants to tell Ed that he didn't hurt him, he wants to stop crying but he couldn't stop his tears and it frustrated him even more. He started to cry harder when the kids all gasp and Sarah screaming at her brother for making the new kid cry, till a loud and deep voice made them all stop and look towards it, well besides Kevin who didn't dared to even move a single muscle.

"Hey! What is going on there!", it was Mark who saw Kevin earlier going with the Ed's towards the playground and decided to check on his nephew, "Kevin? Why is he crying!", Mark was furious seeing his little Kevin crying and all the kids around him. The kids tried all to explain him what happened with a guilty looking Ed staring at his feet.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to hurt him. I was just showing everyone my new friend", Ed himself was close to tears and Mark sighs, now understanding the situation and lowers himself besides his little crying nephew.

"Nah you didn't hurt him, he just got nervous and scared. It was a bit to much for the little fella here", smiling at the kids and ruffles Ed's hair to ensure him that it's not his fault. Ed gives him a small smile and watches as Mark wraps his arms around his ginger friend, "Shh Kevin, everything is alright, don't cry! Come on look at me, your uncle is here. Everything is okay little buddy", he tries calming his nephew down and running circles with his hand on the boys small back, hugging him close and continue to whisper to him that should calm down. Wrapping his tiny arms around his uncles big neck and hiding his face into it as he got picked up.

Slowly calming down he mumbles against his neck, "I'm sorry. It wasn't Ed's fault I just couldn't help it, the tears wouldn't stop and everyone was staring and-", Mark again tells him that it's alright and making the boy look at him. Smiling at the little boy in his arms and tells him that he knows what he means. The other kids continued at the two, both in surprise and awe. They knew Mark and everyone liked the older teen, he was one of the cool guys in Cul-De-Sac, everyone knew mark and he was popular there, in school and the Peach Creek main city. He would sometimes give them all a jawbreaker or lollipop, so now knowing that the new kid is related to the ginger was quite an surprise.

"You're his uncle?", Eddy finally asks and stares at them.

Mark chuckles at the boy, being friends with the boys older brother he knew Eddy well. He being mostly the one stopping the older Sampson from teasing and mocking the younger one when he goes to far for his taste. They might be friends but they aren't really close friends, seeing how he does know the older only tolerates him because of his popularity, "Yes! An really proud uncle I might add. The little guy here will one day become a champion in baseball! You should see him!".

"Really? But you're like the best! Like the captain in your school!", a hugely overweight blond girl calls out in amazement, having the other kids nod in agreement.

"Well I know that, my sore muscles make sure of that everyday!", he laughs and making the other kids laugh as well, "I will of course train him and make him that champ but yesterday we also played a bit baseball in the garden and as I saw him in action, I knew he has potential!", Kevin giggled at that and blushed as the other kids cheered for him to show them.

"Kevin show us!", a boy with extremely short hair, almost making him look bald and holding a board of wood with a face drawn on it.

"Yeah Kevin we wanna see!", Sarah yelled and giggled.

"You're so lucky for having an uncle like Mark!", the boy with the big blond locks cheered.

"Yeah it's like totally rad!", the overweight blond calls.

"My friend Kevin is the best!", laughs Ed happily and jumping up and down in excitement.

"It would be a delight seeing your performance with your talented uncle!", the ever so polite Double D comments with a huge smile.

Only Eddy wasn't cheering with the other, feeling suddenly out of place and jealous at the new kid, _"He just arrived and already everyone likes him more. Showing off with his popular uncle and stupid baseball! What's next? His father working at the jawbreaker factory? His mother being a movie star? What a show off!"_. He sees Kevin nodding at them and growls lowly to himself, still following them towards the playground and watched as Mark gently dropped the smaller ginger to the ground, who instantly got grabbed on the hand and pulled further to the more open and free part of the playground by the overweight blond.

"By the way I'm Nazz! It's like totally rad to meet you!", the thick blond smiles at the small ginger, who blushes and avert his eyes from the girl, _"A girl! And she is holding my hand! She has very soft hands with nice red nails … mommy colors her nails too"_.

"I … um … hi ...", Kevin mumbles and starts blushing deeper as they already reached their destination but Nazz was still holding his hand, making Kevin shyly to look up at her and his eyes go wide as he sees her smiling sweetly at him. She has a round and small head that looks a bit awkward with her huge body but her big electric blue eyes can hold someone in trance, small slim and slightly pointy nose and her full soft lips that are covered with a shiny red lip gloss. Kevin caught himself staring at her lips and wondering if her lip gloss comes with taste. He allows his sea blue eyes to memorize every single part of her pretty face, noting how her blond hair only reach her neck and touch her shoulders a bit and how it frames her face with the bangs reaching her slim and neatly trimmed eyebrows. Maybe it's because he never came in contact with a girl before or maybe because Nazz is the first girl that is really nice to him, whatever the reason was it made Kevin's heart race wildly in his chest, _"I think I found someone who is like mommy for daddy!"_. His mother always told him that one day he'll find a girl that makes him feel like his daddy does towards her and ever since Kevin couldn't wait to find that girl. Staring up at Nazz as with a dreamy expression, it was Marks hand that snapped before his eyes that brought him back to reality, "What? Who-".

Chuckling at the boy, who now finally turns his big eyes at him, "Dude! I called you at least ten times now!", he laughs as the gingers face went from pale to deep red and spluttering nonsense, _"Oh boy! I think Kevin just crushed on Nazz. I can't wait to tell the others about it"_.

Nazz did let go of Kevin's hand long time ago but the boy kept staring her, making her worry about him, "Are you alright Kevin?".

"YES! I mean yes … I'm alright. Sorry Nazz", Kevin trying to keep his eyes off of her but always end up glancing at her. However the blond was just relieved to hear the boy was right and smiled at him. The other kids around them, waiting for Kevin and Mark to show them Kevin's baseball talent, cheering for the small ginger. Mark however said that they should wait here and he'll run home fast and get two baseball bats and a baseball, everyone nods and tell him to hurry. The kids used the time to introduce themselves to Kevin. Johnny was the name of the with the piece of wood in his hand which apparently has the name 'Plank', The boy with the huge locks was Jimmy and he is best friends with Ed's younger sister Sarah. While Kevin talked with all the kids and answered their questions as good as he can, Eddy kept his distance. Double D looks over his shoulder after a few minutes seeing his best friend frowning and crossing his arms, telling Kevin politely that he'll be back and after a nod from the ginger he makes his way to his friend.

"Is something not alright?", Double D asks, confused with his friends behavior.

"I don't like Kevin!", Eddy growls and continues to glare at the new kid.

Taken aback by that Double D gasps, "What? But why? What happened?", making Eddy turn his glare towards friend and huffs in annoyance.

"He a show off! First with his uncle and now with baseball!", Eddy replies and turns his face away from Double D to hide his pout.

"Eddy, seriously? Isn't that magnificent?", Double D is even more confused with his friends reasoning.

The smaller boy frowns at that, "No! It's not and I'm out of here!" and with that he stomps off the playground, towards his home. Leaving a shocked Double D behind.

Kevin sees his black haired friend stomp off and calls out to him, "Hey! Eddy! Where are you going?", but said boy doesn't even give him a glance and leaves an confused Kevin to watch him disappear around a corner. The ginger was about to run after his friend but Double D's voice stopped him.

"Don't worry Kevin! He um … just had to go back home because … he remembered that he had to do something … yeah!", The boy with the sky hat lied, pretty poorly but it seems that it was enough for the boy in his same height because Kevin just shrugged and gave his other friends his attention again. Double D is relieved about that, _"Phew! That could had ended poorly! What are you thinking Eddy! Making me lie like that, you know I dislike to lie!"_.

After a while Mark came back with two baseball bats and Baseballs. The kids cheered at his appearance and watched Kevin and Mark play at first for a while. The taller ginger held back of course, wanting to help Kevin making a good first impression and the boy gave it his best for the same reason. It seemed to work because the kids soon clapped and wanted to join them. They all played for a while, even Double D tried it. Everything seemed peaceful and everyone had fun, of course they had to stop at some point because it was lunch time and they had to go home. Mark stayed at the Kevin's place for lunch and the little boy excitedly told his parents his time on the playground, making his parents smile at their son's happiness. As Kevin and Kathleen went to the kitchen to do the dishes, John and Mark went to sit on the couch to watch some TV.

"Hey John, I think Kevin has a crush. You should had seen him on the playground! He was staring at her like he just found Disneyland!", Mark told the older man in amusement, who turned to stare at him in surprise.

"Already?! Well ain't that fast. Who is the lucky girl?".

"Nazz Van Bartonschmear. An overweight blond girl that lives at the end of the street! I think he made a great choice, Nazz is a real sweet heart and really cute".

"Oh! I hope I get to meet the girl who got my boys interest and I'm sure Kathleen wants to see her too".

"Knowing how protective my sister is over her precious baby, I'm sure her meeting the girl will turn into her interrogating the poor girl.", both chuckle at that and John nods.

"I guess I have to play good cop again, why I'm always the good cop and she the bad cop?!".

"Because one has to be the good cop! You're like the hope of the universe for us!".

"Thank you … but Kathleen ain't gonna do anything, especially to a little girl".

"Oh John, still blinded by your love", the younger shakes his head and the older give the ginger an amused look, "I remember the first time I said I liked a girl. Kathleen told me to invite her over … biggest mistake I made that day! Sis questioned the poor girl like she was an FBI agent and the brunette girl was an highly wanted criminal! After that the poor girl didn't even dared to look at me! Kathy scared her so much that she made sure she kept two feet distance from me! My very first crush and I got an experience that taught me for life to never let my sister know about my love life!", Both laughed at that and John slaps the young man besides him on the back in a playful manner.

"Well good to know! I won't let Kathleen scare the poor girl off, hell I won't even let her talk to her alone!".

"Who won't you let me talk alone to?", Kathleen asks as she and Kevin walked into the living room, a playful smile on her pretty face.

Mark smirks as he turns to face his older sister and lays his arms on top the couch, "I told John here about little Kevin's crush on Nazz and also told him about how you scared off my first crush".

At that the smile disappears and a frown took it's place, looking down at a blushing Kevin who rubs nervously and embarrassed the back of his neck, "Who is this Nazz and why didn't you told me yourself Kevin?".

Now Kevin was red from head to toe and shuffling his feet nervously, "I just met her on the playground and I'm not sure but I find her very pretty and nice.", the little ginger then frowns at his uncle, "And I did not even tell him!".

"Calm down sis, Nazz Van Bartonschmear just lives down the street and is a great girl! Sure in my taste she could lose some weight but I think that Kevin made a great choice with her! She is the sweetheart of Cul-De-Sac", Mark ensures and gives Kevin a wink, causing the little boy to hide his red face in his hands.

"Well I will decide myself if she is a great choice and a 'sweetheart'! Won't let some random girl play with my baby's heart!", Kathleen huffs, making all the males in the room groan but not saying anything. They know that once Kathleen decided something she'll won't change her mind. Even if the little ginger groans with the other men, John knows that this same stubbornness is in his little boy as well.

"Anyway, how about the little champ and I will get to that bike lesson I promised?!", desperately trying to change to conversation for his boys sake and his own.

"Yes! Finally! Let's go, let's go!", Kevin is also eager to escape this whole embarrassing situation and also to finally ride his bike. The Father got up and went to puck up his five years old son, he got the bike, which was leaning against the side of the stairs, carrying it with his other arm.

"Well let's get to it!", the cheering boy he carries with his left arm, starts to bounce a bit while they went outside on the street. After an hour of either Kevin falling with his bike because he didn't started using the pedals soon enough or him riding into a bush because he didn't turned, John suggested a pause but that's when Kevin's bullheadedness from his mother started to shine through. The little boy wanted to learn how to ride his bike today and there was nothing that can make him chance his mind, _"Oh jeez, he had to take on his mother's both adorable but also most annoying trait, didn't he?"_. Sighing he just nods and continues teaching his son, as the sun started setting and a few of the other kids came to greet the little ginger, watching him a while and giggling when he failed. It was when a blond over weighted girl came by and greet the boy, making the boy blush and not paying attention. Sending him into the wall of the opposite house and the two blonds gasp.

"Kevin! You're alright?", they both called at the exact same time, making them look at each other and chuckle, both then run over to the groaning boy on the ground. "Anything hurt champ? How about a break now?", his father chuckles as he helps his son getting on his feet.

"I'm alright, we can continue! I almost made!", the boy looks at the ground, not daring to look up and see his girl friend, _How embarrassing! Nazz saw me making a fool out of myself!"_, the boy blushes deeply and fights his tears. The blond girl sees how embarrassed he was and giggles.

"Don't worry Kevin, you did better as me when I first learned how to ride a bike! I almost ran over poor Jimmy, you should had seen his face!", that cheered Kevin up and made him laugh together with the girl at her memory.

John smiles at the adorable scene in front of him, "You must be Nazz, right?".

Nazz stopped and looked at the man in surprise, "Yes! But how did you know that?".

"From Mark and Kevin, they told me you're a very nice girl and a good friend to Kevin", John chuckles, "By the way, I'm John. Kevin's Father, but I'm sure you figured that out yourself already".

Actually Nazz didn't knew because John looks so young, making Nazz think he is yet another uncle from Kevin and the fact the man has blond her instead of orange like his son didn't help either. But as she looked closely she realized that Kevin's sea green eyes came from him, _"I guess Kevin got his orange hair from his mother"_. "Oh um nice to meet you!". She smiles at the older man before giving Kevin all her attention again and the training continued till after the third retry Kevin finally got it.

Making John and Nazz cheer loudly for him, nobody realized that Double D was watching from his room window the whole time since Kevin crushed against his house wall. At first he wanted to rush down and make sure Kevin was not hurt but as he saw Nazz and his father already there for him, he decided to just continue watching the little group. The five years old however found he prefer watching Kevin, he couldn't explain it but he found the new kid very interesting, _"He seems like a nice kid and he is kinda cute"_. He found it a bit weird that he finds an other boy cute but just shrugged it off, not thinking to deeply about that and push it onto the fact that kids are always seen as kinda cute. He watched till a ginger woman opened the front door of Kevin's home and called for her boys to come inside and get ready for dinner. It was starting to get dark as Nazz said her byes and head back to her home and John picked both Kevin and his bike up to go back into their house themselves. Not long after that Double D's own father called for dinner and just at the same time a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Coupe production, _"Mother! Like always punctual for dinner!". _He runs down in excitement to greet his mother from her hard work at the hospital, he was standing tall and with a big smile on his face in front of the front door, waiting for her to enter. Not long and the door opens, revealing a petite but professional woman with long black hair, tied into a high and neat bun. As her ice blue eyes meet that of her five years old son's eyes, which have the same color, she smiles sweetly at him.

"It's always a pleasant to see you greeting me, Eddward! How was your day my son?", the tall woman asks politely while she gently takes off his hat, revealing her sons neatly combed black hair and folds it neatly.

"As pleasant as always mother! But with a refreshing difference as I got to meet the new young man who moved in with his family today", Double D informs his mother as they went to the big kitchen.

Putting her sons hat onto a counter in the kitchen, "Oh! The new family that just moved in yesterday? Those are indeed refreshing news!", they both sit down on the chairs while the man serves the dinner, giving his wife a small kiss on the lips.

"Greetings Marion.", the also black haired man says politely as he joined them.

"Greetings Samuel. Eddward here got to meet the neighbor's son today!", the woman smiles softly at her husband and receives a gentle smile back.

"Yes he informed me during lunch today. Seems like a decent offspring the Dorn's have", the man, who is taller as his wife, commented while they all started to eat.

Black haired boy started to tell his mother everything he knew about the boy and his family, while his parents listen to him. Thought the sea blue eyed man already got told about everything during lunch before, he still listened and joined the conversation. After lunch they made the dishes and cleaned the kitchen and dinning area perfectly and Marion got her sons bath ready for him. While his parents stayed in the living room on the couch, talking and reading, since they got no TV. The Vincent's see nothing beneficial in having a TV or at least nothing that a book couldn't do better, they did not see a reason to waste money on a TV. As Double D finished his bath and got ready for bed, he cleaned up the bathroom and took a minute to look into the mirror. His round boyish face was framed by wet slightly curled hair, he has a very wide forehead which he finds to be a flaw and the main reason for him to always wear his hat. Combing his hair back, only leaving soft and short bangs cover his forehead but not enough for him to feel comfortable enough to leave the hat off. He couldn't help but wonder what Kevin would think of his large forehead, _"He would probably laugh at me. He has so long and smooth looking hair, they even shined in the light! I wonder what his hair would feel like ..."_. Without realizing he was thinking about his neighbor while getting ready for bed, brushing his teeth and putting on his hat again, which he took with him from the kitchen counter, _"He has very pretty and big eyes, sea green. His father has the same eye color and he is also very handsome, so boyish and so much like Kevin but I guess Kevin got his most prominent features from his mother. His mother is also very pretty and her hair is more dark but just as nice, so long too. She must be the one taking care of his hair … though his parents look so very young, they must had gotten Kevin in a very young age because they hardly look older as than Mark."_. The boy hums to himself at that discovery, he knows his parents got him at the age of twenty seven and cut down a great deal of their work time for him. While his father can be home more and earlier because he decided that being a surgeon is more than enough for him, his mother on the other hand being at the the manager of same hospital his father works in, takes a lot more of her time, but still she tries to be always there for him and her husband. Double D smiles, feeling proud that his parents are very respected and famous in Peach Creek, _"One day I'll be just as successful!"_. With his already high intellect and enjoyment in learning, there is no doubt that he'll be successful later in his life.

Getting out of the bathroom after slipping on his sanitized bunny slippers and enters his wide and open room, is methodically laid out with an ant farm on a wooden dresser on the just on left side as you enter the room, that contains exactly four thousand eight hundred thirty-seven ants

and having the second drawer filled with medical items. The second drawer is filled with Lego parts and his cactus, which he named Jim, stands right besides the said dresser. On his wooden bedside closet,which is filled with science magazines, a simple red Lamp with a simple yellow alarm clock, which is set for six o'clock in the morning. A large wooden bookcase above it with all and filled with books, which are alphabetically sorted. In the same right corner on is his big and cozy looking wooden bed with dark blue and red bedspread. Models of the planets hanging from the

ceiling right above his bed and a big medical anatomy poster. At the end of the bed is a round red and green rug on the ground and a tall and wide open wardrobe that is inside the wall. Besides it a drafting tables with a map of the world on the wall above it. The filing cabinet close besides the table and touching the corner of the left side of the room, which has a wide window. Closer to the window but more in the middle of his room is a little desk which has an computer, a silver flexible lamp and an anatomical replica of a human skull. On the left side in the corner of the room is a wooden closet which is filled with methodical array of all his bathing materials such as bubble bath, loofahs, sanitized shower caps, bath robes. And last but not least, a rotating organizer holding his hats for each day of the week. Double D being the neat freak he is, keeps his room meticulously clean and everything in his room is labeled. Being also the little Genius he is and being best friends with Ed and Eddy, who are the two most chaotic people he ever met, be built his own security system into his room. That, if anyone other than Double D himself is found touching his belongings, the system will be activated. Which will prompt the door to unlock and play a recorded message which asks the offender to leave his room in a polite manner. The five years old's room walls have a Light yellow color and the carpet is light green. Anyone who enters his room has to exchange their shoes for a pair of sanitized bunny slippers, like he is wearing himself now. Double D busies himself and making everything for tomorrow ready and laying on his bed, reading one of the new science magazines his father bought him today.

"Eddward, It's time for bed", his mother calls from outside his room before entering, having her own but more simple sanitized slippers on. Everyone in the house puts them on before entering their home.

"Alright Mother!", shutting the magazine and putting it back into the drawer. Slipping under his blanket and smiles sweetly at his mother, who returns the smile with one of her own. His father entered after her and shuts off the big light in his room after his mother turned on the lamp on his bedside closet.

"Like always you get your foot massage, sweety", giving her son a gentle and loving kiss on the forehead before rubbing the massage oil in her hands and letting her kid's feet drop onto the blanket she put onto her lap. His father walking over to his son and also giving him a kiss on the forehead, before wishing him sweet dreams and leaving the room. Humming softly for her son, Marion starts to gently massage his feet, till Double D falls asleep, "Sweet dreams my angel", she smiles softly at her son and slowly placing his feet onto the mattress, covering them with the blanket so they won't get cold over the night. Turning off the lamp and quietly closes the door after leaving the room.

Mark went back to his home after the dinner and Kevin was already in bed as his parents cuddled on the couch and watching TV till both got tired and went to bed. Another day ended on Cul-De-Sac and granting everyone a peaceful night. It took Kevin a week till he stopped getting scared at his new surroundings and stay in his own bed, he also turned into a excellent bike rider and finds it one of his favorite activities, even liking it a bit more as sport. Mark kept his promise and played with Kevin after school, even having his friends meet his little nephew who seemed to not only find the kid adorable but start playing with him as well. Well more training as playing since all they do with the kid is playing baseball, basketball and soccer with him. Having Marks friends giving Kevin attention and hang out with just made the little ginger even more popular with the other kids.

However it made Eddy more and more distance toward Kevin and that confuses the kid, feeling left alone by his first friend. He hoped Eddy would become his best friend and he still plans on that, trying to get closer to the other boy just to be pushed away again. Luckily Nazz was always there for him, showed him around the Cul-De-Sac and all the cool places. His feelings grew stronger each day the blond spend time with him, everyday he would get her favorite candy which are either lollipops or jawbreakers. He started to like jawbreakers a lot and found out that every kid likes them, feeling very lucky that his father will soon start his job at the jawbreakers fabric. Jawbreakers also seemed to be the only way to get close to Eddy, but soon Kevin got tired of Eddy's behavior and decided to confront the boy. It was the ninth February, Monday, as Kevin decided to visit Eddy in the morning. His mother dragged his father to the city to get new stuff for their house so he was put in Marks care and was at his place. Mark agreeing to Kevin talking to Eddy just wished him luck. In front of the Sampson's front door, Kevin starts feeling a bit nervous, "Maybe I will come off as needy and annoying, ruining our friendship even more!". But Kevin soon shakes that thought off and decides that if he doesn't do something their friendship will break anyway. Ringing the bell, the little boy waits patiently till a large and hugely muscular man opens the door.

"Yes?", his voice was extremely deep, his hairy arms that are seen because he only wears a white T-shirt with dark blue jeans, "How can I help you little fella?".

Eyes wide the boy didn't knew what to say, he feels very intimidated by the large man. Not be able to do anything else but staring at the man with black short hair and goatee on his strong chin. Making the man raise a thick eyebrow, that lay above metallic blue eyes, at the boy before a deep but still feminine voice makes him look over his shoulder, "Who is it Jared?". A a bit smaller but still huge woman appears behind the man, she isn't huge because of muscles like her husband but more because of weight, though she still seem like she could punch a bear K.O.

"Dunno, he ain't saying anything Emma", This made the blond with honey brown eyes push her husband a bit aside to take a look herself. She laughs as she sees that Kevin was now shaking in fear, brushing her pink summer dress that show her not shaved legs.

"Aw! Look at that little cutey here! I think you made him feel scared Jared!", the chuckles and shakes his head at his wives words but knows it's true. He get's that a lot from the kid's around there. "Come on sweety, no need to be scared. He just looks tough but is a real softy, I'll tell you that", giggling Emma pats the boys head and keeps smiling at him, making Kevin relax more and shyly smile back at the woman. "Ah! There we go! What a charming smile you got there little prince!".

Grinning at the boy he waves at Kevin to come in, "Come on in boy, I'm sure you're a friends of our Eddy! I'll get the little guy for you, while you wait inside the living room", Jared says as he makes his way upstairs to get his son.

Being led into the living room by the still kinda intimidating but very nice woman, Kevin waits patiently for his friend on the couch, "Hon, you want some snacks? Wait I'll get you some nice brownies I made earlier! You'll love them!", with that the Eddy's mother disappeared in the kitchen just to reappear with a large bowl of yummy looking brownies. "get yourself as many as you want baby boy! A little man like need to put some flesh on those skinny limps! I also hope you and Eddy gonna go out today because you need to get some sun on that pale skin young man! You want to be healthy and fit don't you?!", Emma already started to treat him like her kid, "Cute little fella is so small and fragile! Makes me wanna protect him from harm, just like eddy's other friend Eddward!".

Kevin smiles brightly at the woman and says his thanks before grabbing a brownie from the bowl which the Emma put on the coffee table. Watching the woman going back to the kitchen, _"so different from mommy! Mommy is slim and looks like the women from TV while Eddy's mommy looks like a man but not a man like daddy but a man like Eddy's daddy"_. He soon hears two pairs of footsteps coming down the stairs, one really heavy and loud the other light and more silent. Looking up he locks eyes with Eddy and gives him a little wave. "Hello Eddy!", Kevin smiles at his friend but get's no smile in return.

Eddy waited for his father to go upstairs again to get himself ready for his work in the service station, always starting at ten o'clock in the morning. "What are you doing here?", finally the shorter boy says but still being very hostile.

But Kevin was prepared for that because Eddy was being like that towards him for the whole week and so he brought a jawbreaker, it was Mark's idea to go smoothly into the conversation with some treats first. He gets the jawbreaker out of his pocket and holds it out for Eddy to take, "I brought you a jawbreaker and i wanted to visit my friend!".

"Oh ... um thanks", Eddy walks towards Kevin and takes a seat besides him on the couch before taking the jawbreaker and puts it into his mouth, finally smiling again.

Cheering a bit in his mind and decides that it's save to start the 'repair friendship' mission, "But i also wanted to talk to you about something".

That made Eddy look at him and raise a eyebrow, "Oh yeah? About what?".

"Well ... I'm kinda confused and worried about how distance you are towards me, i wanted to know why. Is it something i did or said?", the ginger starts to nervously play with the end of his green shirt.

" ... oh"

Kevin blinks at the lack of response, _"'oh'? Just an 'oh'!"_, starting to get a bit irritated at that but taking a deep breath, _"No need to get angry, maybe he really doesn't know what else to say"_. Nodding at himself Kevin just continues, "You're my first friend so I'm worried of losing you as a friend and for a whole week I had the feeling you dislike me for some reason. So I decided that I'll try and find out what's wrong … you know so we can be friends again".

"hmm … but maybe I just don't want to be your friend".

The bit taller boy stares at his 'friend' in shock,_ "What? That wasn't suppose to happen! This goes not like I planned it!"_. Kevin chokes back a little whine before asking, "But why?.

"Because I don't like you".

"But we … but … why?", Kevin can feel his eyes tearing up but tries to keep them in.

"Because you're a show off! With your dad's job, Mark and his friends! I don't like that and so I don't like you!".

"...".

"Is that all? Well now you can go again, you've got what you wanted! You really think giving me jawbreakers is gonna make things different? I'm not that easy!".

"...".

"Go away already!".

Without a single word Kevin gets up and runs out of the house, surprising Emma who was about to enter the living room again to check on the boys. Watching the little boy running towards the Barr's household, she closes the door and turns towards her son who has his head hanging low while chewing on a jawbreaker. _"Did they had a fight?"_, She walks towards her youngest kid and gently strokes her fingers across his dark hair. "Eddy? What's wrong? Why did your friend ran out like that?".

Eddy was both sad and angry but doesn't know why, _"Am I upset of him or myself? Why should I care anyway? I was just honest, yet I feel horrible. Like I just lost a giant jawbreaker"_. Tearing up he throws himself into his mothers strong arms, who immediately hold her crying son close to herself. Trying to comfort him even thought she has no idea what exactly is going on, meanwhile Mark hold a crying Kevin in the same way but actually knowing why his little nephew is crying.

"You can't have everything Kevin. You win some and you lose some, that's how life works. You still got Nazz and the other kids who accepts you no matter what", It took a while before Kevin calmed down, feeling depressed for a long while before Nazz came to pick him up to play with the other kids. In the end it was Nazz who cheered Kevin up the most but Sarah, Jimmy and Johnny play a big part in that too. It was then Kevin decides that Eddy is not worth his attention, who was just fine with that. Kevin didn't even felt to bothered with the Ed's scams and pranks, he got enough time to get used to them the week before so with the following weeks he just shrugged them off, even if they did kinda annoy him. Ed and Double D still were a part of his friends and would play with them sometimes or just talk a bit, though talking and playing with Ed was a hard thing to do since the boys concentration level seems to be zero. Nazz and the kids helped Kevin to learn to swim, which he showed proudly on a picnic with his parents close to the lake. Nazz met his mother and thanks to his father she didn't end up scaring the blond girl off, luckily his mother accepted Nazz but was still keeping an eye on her. Everything seemed peaceful, he got his friends, his Nazz, a great house and family. Mark and his friends would play with Kevin as well, though Mark teases and mocks him a lot, like giving him wedgies, pinching him or randomly pushing a spit finger into his ear. Mark turned it into his life mission to get as many reactions and cute sounds out of his little nephew, but never going to far and Kevin got used to that. Even starting to pick some of Mark's teasing and mocking up, to do the same to his friends who at first whined about it but soon got used to it. Everyone but Nazz, the kids noticed soon that Kevin treats the over weighted girl like a princess. His father started his job and it seems that John likes it a lot, Kathleen got a job at the Candy Store close by and it made them laugh at how both of their jobs have something to do with sweet treats. Both would spoil their son with candies, especially jawbreakers, to a point Kevin always had a lot left even if he gave his friends some too and they ended up in the small garage.

However the eighteenth May was the say Mark had to leave for college, having all of his friends going to college as well. As excited Kevin was for his uncle, he was sad and feared that he once again will lose someone he cared for but this time it was much worse. The sea green eyes boy adored his uncle and didn't really want him to leave. The family and some of the kids came to the Barr's house to say bye to Mark.

"Don't go!", a crying little Kevin clings desperately onto his uncle, "Please stay with me!". It broke the older gingers heart and he almost was about to agree but he has to think about his future.

"Little champ, believe me it breaks my heart to leave you and my home but I have to go. I want a good job later, hell I want to try to get into the MLB's! Wouldn't you be proud of your uncle playing with the big guys? You would be able to watch me on TV!", Mark hugs his little nephew close and kisses his forehead, _"Gosh! Please don't make it harder for me! If I could I would take you with me!"._

"I'm going to miss you", a little sob comes from the boy.

"You have no idea how much I will miss you", holding his tears desperately in , "I gonna call you every day and send you cool cards with photos, alright?".

The boy whines softly as his uncle puts him back down on his feet, making the older cringe at the sad sound, "You promise? You also promise not to forget about me?", holding out his little pinkie.

The tall teen laughs and hocks his pinkie onto his nephew's, "Pinky swear!", the boy smiles at him and lets the older wipe away his tears with his hand, "I'll never forget you Kevin, you're the most precious person to me. Remember that!".

"And I'll never forget you uncle! I love you!", that earned Kevin another kiss on the forehead and the boy giggles at the affection. His father helping Mark with his bags and hugging the teen tightly.

"You'll watch after yourself, alright? Don't make me come and pull your sorry butt out of trouble because if I have to I'll give it a kick afterwards!", Making the teen laugh and lightly punch his shoulder.

"You know me! I ain't promising anything!", he said being pulled into another hug from his sister and mother.

"If anyone makes trouble, give me a call and I'll kick their asses!", Kathleen says with a smirk and makes Mark roll his eyes but nod anyway, knowing that she'll actually do it.

"Eat healthy and do actually study! Do not forget your education just because of baseball, you got me young man! And keep your eight hours sleep! Don't think just because I'm not there you can slack off! Don't throw your money around as well! I raised no good for nothing, mister!", his mother demands and makes the younger roll his eyes.

"Yes mom!", a kiss onto his forehead and a loving smile.

"I love you Mark. I'm very proud of you and remember you'll always have your home here, besides of cleaning your room I'll let everything how it is for you.".

"Love you to mom", everything was in the taxi and Mark waved at all kids, "You'll behave alright?", everyone nods and waves back, making Mark smile and even harder to get into the car.

But before he got in he turned to Kevin and waved at him to come over, which the boy obeyed to. Getting something out of the back he had around his shoulder, "Here! I want you to have that, I always had it on when we had an important game!", putting a red baseball cap onto the boys little head, it was a bit to big for the boy but it made Kevin give his uncle a big grin.

"Thank you! I will never take it off again and will take good care of it! Promise!", The older ginger grins at the boy and nods before getting into the car and look out of the window as he drove off, seeing everyone wave at him and waves back till he couldn't see them anymore, _"Man … the first weeks will suck so much!"._

Watching the taxi drive off Kevin let his shoulders hang, until Nazz grabbed his hand and pulled him along to follow the other kids to the playground. He soon wasn't depressed anymore and rather focused on wearing his hat with pride. The red baseball cap backwards on his head soon became Kevin's new trademark, before it was his long hair but now since he never took it off, not even in bed, everyone started to think that Kevin was always with the hat. One week later, Kevin was riding his bike, it was one of the rare moments Kevin was alone. Normally Nazz was always with him but she was playing at Sarah's place some 'girly' stuff as Kevin started to call it, well with one boy since Jimmy likes playing those 'girly' games. Johnny and Plank were grounded, the Ed's doing whatever they normally do, his parents working and his grandma was in the city, also working as a beautician. Not that Kevin minds it, it gave him more time to spend with babe. However Kevin soon spots a unfamiliar figure, it was a teenager, maybe the same age as Mark, _"Weird … most went to college like Mark did! Maybe it's one of Marks friends searching for him!"_. Kevin headed towards the older boy with a small smile and called out.

"Hey!", the teen stopped and turned, a thick eyebrow raised and a lit cigarette in his mouth, "Weird … most of Mark's friends don't smoke, Mark said it's not good for you and even worse when you play sports.".

"Whatcha want?", voice deep and metallic blue eyes glare at the kid, making Kevin stop further away as he planned. For some reason Kevin felt uncomfortable all of the sudden and didn't want to get closer.

"I … um … Are you one of Mark's friends?", the ginger stuttered nervously.

The teen run a hand through his short black hair, which reminded Kevin a bit of Eddy's hairstyle, actually the teen in general remembered him of a older and taller version of Eddy, "Why you ask?".

_"Eddy's father has the same goatee. So much like Eddy … wait could it be that this is Eddy's older brother?"_, that realization didn't made things better, he now felt very awkward, "... No reason! I must had confused you with someone else, sorry if I bothered you!", Kevin wanted to get out of this awkward situation and started turning with his bike to the opposite direction where the teen seemed to had headed.

"Hey! Don't you dare running off now! I asked you a fucking question!".

That made Kevin jump and stop, to afraid to move besides turning his head to look over his shoulder at the teen with big frightened sea green eyes. His heart started pumping his blood faster through his body, everything inside him screamed to run but he couldn't move for some reason. The older male came closer to him. He wanted to run so badly but he couldn't bring himself to move, _"Why won't I move!"_. As the teen still got no answer he growled at the little boy who was now right in front of him.

"Are you deaf?! I asked why you want to know that!", the loudness of his voice made Kevin let out a scared whine.

"B-Because most of the teenagers in Mark's age left for college a-and I thought you were maybe looking for him. I-i just wanted to tell you that Mark also l-left for college", he was shaking now.

"Yes I know Mark but we ain't exactly 'friends'", the older tells Kevin a bit calmer now but made no intention to let the boy go, to make it clear he walked around to be in front of the kid and hold onto his bike, noting how the kids big eyes never left him and jump a little when he grabbed onto his bike, _"Oh this will be fun!"_, the boy thought to himself and give the ginger a dark grin.

"O-Oh … okay sorry again f-for bothering you", hoping the teen would just let him go already but he knew that it won't happen very soon.

"Who are you?".

"I-I'm Kevin Dorn … M-Mark is my uncle".

"hmm … I knew those long orange hair seemed familiar. Damn boy, you look like a fucking girl! Should call you Kevina, seems more fitting to me", the teen laughs at Kevin's shocked expression and dark blush.

"What? But … no!", Kevin was getting irritated with the teen, _"How dare he just insult me like that! Not even Mark was allowed to tease and mock me about my hair! Who does this idiot think he is!"._

"What? You don't like it Kevina? But why? And here I'm trying to be nice to the little girl version of Mark", he fakes a disappointed expression to tease the boy even more.

Fear was fast replaced with anger and Kevin just wanted to get away from the mean teen, "Leave me alone and get away from my bike!", the ginger forcefully pushes the teens hand off his bike and glares at him.

"Oh! Feisty! Kevina don't hurt my feelings now!", chuckling darkly, he took Kevin's hat in one swift move and waved it at him, "There! Now you look like a pretty little girl again. Wanna thank me for helping you out with your horrible style?".

"Hey! Give it back!", getting off his bike he tries to get his hat back but the older boy just held it higher and out of his reach, "That is mine! Give it back you butt-face!".

"Oh dear! Kevina! That's not very lady like to say!", the teen laughs the whole time, even louder as Kevin's face went so red in anger and embarrassment that it horribly contrasted with his light orange hair.

"My name is Kevin and not Kevina! I'm a boy and not a girl! And that is my hat! Get your own, you thief!".

"Yeah but that would beat the meaning of thief wouldn't it? Gosh you suck with insults. Now be a good girl and get that stick out of your ass! Why caring so much for this dumb hat?".

"Because Mark gave it to me and I promised to take care of it! Now give it back!".

"Aw! Ain't that cute? Well princess sorry, but I think I'll keep it for myself", with that he runs off, smirking when he sees the boy running after him and he runs into the woods, _"Come follow me little red riding hood! The big bad wolf wants to play with you!"_, he snickers at his own joke as he runs deeper into the woods and then hides behind a tree. He hears the boys steps on the grass and demanding loudly to give him back his hat, panting loudly and desperately for air.

Not realizing that he just walked into the bullies trap, he looks around and finds himself in a part of the woods where he never was, _"How will I find my way back and where is that butt-face?!"._

As he hears the boy getting closer he jumps out of his hiding place with a loud "BOOO!", laughing as the boy yelps and falls backwards on his backside, "Oh man you should see your face Kevina! It's priceless!".

Frowning Kevin was about to get up but a show on his chest pressed him back down, flat on the ground and not letting him up. Now his fear is back again and he realized in what kind of situation he was in, _"What is he going to do to me? Will he beat me up? I'm scared! Mommy! Daddy!"._

But the older male just stares into the boys big sea green eyes for a moment with a serious expression, which made Kevin even more uneasy, "Are you scared?". Shuddering at how deep and dangerous the voice got so suddenly, Kevin just nods in hope it would appease the older. "Good! Because we're gonna play a game. You'll be little red riding hood", at that he put the red baseball cap back on Kevin just the way it was, "And I'll be the big bad wolf. It's an quite simple game, you run and hide from me and I'll hunt you down. If I catch you I will hurt you … really, really badly!", at that Kevin whines and feels the tears burning in his eyes, "And if you escape I will leave you alone … for the day. The game goes till the sun sets!".

"_What?! But … it's just past one … in the day! It'll be hours! He is crazy! Someone help me!"_, Kevin stares up at the older, "I will never dare to talk to you again, I won't even look at you! Just please, let me go!", having already the first tears escaping.

"Hmm … alright!", this surprised the ginger but he'll take what he gets, standing up and brushing the dirt and grass of his clothes. He gave the teen one last look and turns to walk away, not really knowing where but just away from the older. He was a few meters away from the other and wraps his arms around himself, feeling the dark haired males eyes burn into the back of his head but he keeps moving, not daring to look back, "One!", that made Kevin stop and he turns to look at the other, "Two!", sea green eyes going wide as he realized what exactly is happening, "Three!".

And Kevin started to run like death itself was after him and if he dares to stop he'll die, _"Which might not be so far off! Of course he wouldn't just let me go! What was I'm thinking!"_. Running as fast as he can in random directions but all he sees are trees, trees and more trees. He wasn't even sure if he runs closer out of the woods or deeper inside, but he couldn't find himself to care. He was scared, really, really scared. His vision goes blurry because of his tears, never before felt he so afraid. Sure he was afraid syringes but that fear can't even come to what he was feeling now, he felt like he was about to die if not by Eddy's older brothers hands then by how hard and fast beats inside his chest, making it even painful.

Meanwhile the older was casually and relaxing walking towards the direction Kevin ran, "Huh! Ain't that stupid, caught on right away. He looks so much like Mark but a cute mini version and those long hair make him look more feminine. Ah! Damn gingers, always poking that soft side inside me.", the older sighs, "Can't be helped. I wonder what Mark would say if he saw me playing with his dearest little nephew, probably trying to kill me.". He frowns to himself, _"Typical! Fucking Barr's always get's everything! The looks, the stupid hair all the girls find oh so great, the position as the baseball captain, all the friends and chicks! The whole fucking neighborhood likes his stupid ass! Get's to the fucking Princeton University in fucking New Jersey and to top it of all, he has an adorable little boy as nephew who even fucking looks the same with that stupid long hair! And what do I get? Having a mother that looks like a fucking dude! Lame ass friends that are the biggest joke in the universe! Still no respond from the colleges and motherfucking Eddy who is such a loser and pain in the ass! Brother this, brother that, gosh! Makes me wanna throw up! No matter how many times I push him away, beat him and insult him, the little bastard always comes back! Why those fucking Barr's have to get everything?!"_, he starts sprinting after where the boy went, furious at the kid for some reason, blaming him for everything, _"But not this time! I'll fuck that little shit up!"_.

At that moment John jut drove back into the Cul-De-Sac with his new dark green Ford Focus, humming along the music happily. He was so happy when he finally got to buy a new car, he actually wanted to ST version of it, but Kathleen said a normal two to three years old model was more than enough for them. He is satisfied anyway, he got everything he wanted anyway, a wonderful family, a great house in a nice neighborhood, a good job that pays greatly and pretty neat car, _"So much better as back in our old home! Life decided to spoil us for once and we more than deserve it after everything!"_. He can spoil his little family, Kathleen always can go shopping with her mother in the first weekend of every month, _"Her face when I gave her the two hundred dollars the first time!"_, he giggled at the memory. _"She was staring at me and the money for at least a hour! Till she jumped around and giggled like a school girl who's crush just agreed in dating her!"_, starting to turn the music even louder and singing along with it. Kathleen would often drag Kevin to the city to get his new clothes or toys, though the boy seems just to be happy with everything anyway, with his friends and especially Nazz, _"They barely apart now! I wonder if Kevin realized that and he hardly talks about anything else as the blond"_. He got Kevin so many jawbreakers already that their little garage is filled with those, making Kathleen tell him to stop bringing so many till they at least got rid of those. After they moved there and got their jobs, their social life started get better as well. Before John and Kathleen only had each other and their son, no other family or friends to spend time with, _"Not to forget that we both worked a lot and to leave Kevin alone was to dangerous"_, but now they have Madeleine and Mark, who calls them everyday like promised and sends them cards with pictures, they also have became friends with most other parents in the neighborhood and in their jobs. Sometimes John would go and hang out with some of his colleagues, Kathleen would go out and drink coffee with the neighbor's women or her colleagues from the candy store, _"She does seem to get along very well with Nazz's mother. She is always at our place or Kathy is over at hers, those two are even worse as Nazz and Kevin!"_. Shaking his head in amusement and suddenly stops. He sees Kevin's bike on the sidewalk but no Kevin, _"He would never abandon his babe! Something isn't alright here!"_. Parking his car behind the silver bike and getting out, looking around and calling for his son. But as he get's not respond he picks up the bike and puts it on the backseat before entering his car again. Instead of driving back home he started to drive around the neighborhood, window down and calling out for his son, _"Just when i was about to say that nothing could ruin anything for them!"_. He get's out his mobile phone and calls his wife.

"John! Where are you babe? You're on the way home? I made som-", he had to interrupt his happy sounding wife, which he normally would never dare to do.

"I found Kevin's bike! But i can't find Kevin!".

"What?! But he would never abandon his babe, not even for five minutes! He takes that bike everywhere!".

"I know that's why I'm calling, something isn't right here babe! I need some help searching for the little guy!".

"Alright! Oh god please don't ... not my baby!", he can hear a soft sob and he clenched onto steering wheel, feeling anger rise.

"Don't cry babe! We'll find him!", _"And kill the bastard who decided to fuck with my family!"_.

"Alright!", he can hair his wife pulling herself together and her voice stronger now, "I'll search as well and ask for help from our neighbor's!". John nods and hangs up, not trusting his voice at the moment. It didn't took long till several neighbor's went to search for the kid as well, hoping that nothing had happened to him and a bit shocked that their normally peaceful neighborhood have to search for one of their little kids.

In the woods, Kevin is running and running. Every part of his body screamed for a rest and he started to feel dizzy, _"I never ran so fast for such a long time! And I still surrounded by trees!"_. He didn't see big branch on the ground and tripped over it, falling to the ground. His tiny body shaking and arching, not allowing him to get up again. He can hear his heart beating fast in his ear, his body feel like on fire and he was covered in sweat. Panting loudly for air to fill his needy lungs, he lifts his head from the dirty and grassy ground to look around. After seeing no sign of the older male he drops his head back down, not caring about the dirt. After a what seemed like a hour he finally let's his body relax and go numb, _"I guess I escaped"_. Tears still falling, everything turned black around him and before he knows, the kid fainted from the extreme exhaustion. He doesn't know how long he was laying there but a arching and sudden pain into his side woke him up again and he yelps in both surprise and pain.

"huh! What a pleasant surprise! Look who I found!", Kevin whines at the familiar voice and he knows it's the teen, sobbing at the realization.

"Please … please stop and let me go! I won't tell anybody! I swear!".

"Hmm let me think … nope!", the boy started to sob harder at that and making the older laugh, "Funny thing is that I was about to just drop it all and go home, you do realize that if you would had kept running to the left you would had left the woods right? Hell the exit it so fucking close I'm surprised to find you here! You never were here? Everyone knows this part of the woods!".

"W-What?", looking around Kevin realizes that he does indeed know this part of the woods and that the older teen was telling the truth. A bit more running to the left and he would had been outside, _"H-How couldn't I see it?! I was so close in escaping this all!"_.

"I guess the universe wants you to get a nice beating! Lucky me!", and a sharp pain on the back of his skull makes the boy yelp in pain, the older boy was pulling the boy by his long light orange hair that is tied together into a ponytail. The boy starts screaming as he realizes that the other was pulling him back into the deeper parts of the woods.

"NO! STOP! HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME! MOMMY! DADDY! MARK!".

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!", the teen grabs onto his head and slams it against the ground to make the kid stop screaming. It worked, Kevin did indeed shut up but only because the pain in his head made him dizzy and disoriented. For a while he was dragged by his hair without him knowing anymore where exactly he is or what is going, all he could focus on was the pain in his head. Whining and gasping like a dying puppy. After a while he was dropped, not moving anymore but the world was spinning for him. He hears the others voice but he couldn't understand him anymore, everything was dim and weird, he never felt so numb and senseless before. He hardly registered the kicks and punches, he just knows that he feels sick, like he has to throw up. He hears the teen sometimes say the names Mark and Eddy but couldn't understand anything else. His lack of response must had made the older stop and curse, then suddenly he was gone. Kevin was just laying on the ground, god knows where in the woods and trying to stay awake. Not long until a familiar face was above him, mouth moving but the ginger couldn't understand much, he just hears his name being called out several times.

"KEVIN! STAY AWAKE! KEVIN! Oh my goodness!", it was Double D. He saw a tall figure running out of the wood in a suspicious hurry, but he couldn't make out who exactly it was and decided to check the woods for more clues. Knowing even the deep parts of the woods because he sometimes likes to take a walk through it or search for insects to collect. He was surprised to see a body on the ground, upon seeing the light orange hair and red baseball cap he knew that it was the missing boy everyone was looking for. He ran towards the boy and called his name, trying to get a reaction. till the boy looked at him but eyes filled with confusion, it was then Double D knew that the boys senses must be dim which can mean that Kevin has a concussion. Realizing that Double D gets out his phone and calls the ambulance, _"Kevin needs to get medical help and that now!"_. While waiting for the ambulance, Double D tries to keep Kevin awake, shaking and calling him each time his eyes started to lower.

Kevin focused on Double D's ice blue eyes, for some reasons it was the only thing he could understand at the moment, even after the ambulance arrived and started checking and treat him, he kept staring at the other boys eyes. Until he got prepared for the ride in the ambulance to the hospital, he turned to look at the sky. Everything happened so suddenly and fast, one moment he was in the ambulance and the next he was in a hospital room. He was still to afraid to sleep until a nice brunette nurse told him to rest and he let the world around him shift to black again.

For John and Kathleen the apocalypse happened. The call from the hospital and the knowledge that their five years old son was beaten and left in the woods, it was just to much for the couple. As they went to the hospital as fast they could and looked upon a broken Kevin, it was like the world just stopped. Kathleen was crying and holding her sleeping son's hand, while John had to leave the room, leaving a shocked and teary Madeleine taking care of his wife. John was beyond furious, _"I failed! I fucking failed to protect my own flesh and blood!"_, he startled a few nurses as he screamed in rage and punched the wall of the hallways in the hospital several times. It took three man to stop John from continuing to punch the wall, making his knuckles bleed. But he didn't care, he felt like he betrayed his son. Being handed a few medications to calm himself down and being watched by a nurse, who tried to keep him calm. After a moment John finally cracked and left his own tears break free, the last time he cried was when he held his just born son into his arms and those where tears of happiness. After he wiped his tears and once again had control over himself he ensured the nurse that he was fine and went back inside the room where Kevin was laying. Stroking his sons hair and apologizing to the sleeping kid for not being there for him. Kathleen sat cuddling close to her husband, eyes still filled with tears, she just felt as much of a failure as John. No matter how much Madeleine tried to tell the young couple that it wasn't their fault, it didn't helped them. The only time they actually smiled again that day, though it was a sad and broken smile, was when Kevin woke up again. Luckily nothing was broken, but he had several bruises covering his torso and arms. A swollen eye from a punch onto it, which already was blue. On the back of his was a big bump with a small wound from his head was slammed against the ground. The pulling on his hair irritated almost his whole head but left no serious damage. The doctors said that the only really dangerous thing was the concussion from the attack on his head and for that they had to keep him there for at least a week, just to make sure nothing goes wrong and that he has no brain damage. No one argued about that, though it was clear that Kevin needed psychological care for the traumatic state he was in. Not talking at all for the whole week he stayed there and as he got home he hid in his room, not even coming out when Nazz asked for him. Kevin isolated himself from everyone even his own parents. Besides Double D's report about a young man leaving the woods in a suspicious hurry, they've got nothing. John was on edge the whole time and Kathleen was depressed, Madeleine would often check on her daughter and her husband just to make sure they're alright. His grandma was also worried and worked up about the whole situation but her age and having to raised two kids on her own already, she got enough experience to not break down. However Kevin's parents both being still so young, it was bound to affect them heavily in such a way. As Mark heard of it he almost packet his things and go to his little nephew, forgetting about college and just stay by Kevin's side. But his mother wouldn't let him, telling him that he wouldn't make Kevin feel better but even worse for making his uncle dropping everything he worked so hard for and with a heavy heart he stayed. It took four months of psychological care till Kevin started to get better again but never quiet the same as before. He got more serious and hard, his temper even shorter as before and he started to watch 60 Minutes, a American news magazine television program that is broadcast on the CBS television network, which turned the reason behind his new cynicism. He would still not talk about what happened or who did it, a part of him just wanted to forget it and the other part was just afraid of what the teen could do else to him. He got more into his bike and sports, which are the main reasons that he getting better. His friendship and feelings with Nazz gotten stronger and if he wasn't with her he was either home or on his way towards her. He got into the the Peach Creed elementary school and that was good for him, gotten more and more social again. While Kevin changed, his parents did as well, Kathleen got more careful and also more short tempered. John got more protective and just as cynical as his son, though it's clear that Kevin's change affected them it did not mean the Dorn's family was unhappy or couldn't move on. Kevin's mood even got better as Eddy spread the news around that his big brother got accepted into a college and left, while Eddy was proud, Kevin was just happy the prick is out of his face. Everything slowly went back to normal, just Kevin's patience with Eddy was almost non existence. But since most of the kids weren't exactly happy about the Ed's because of their constant scams and pranks, it didn't really surprised them. Though it did hurt Double D's feelings of having the gingers cold shoulder or being glared at by normally warm and soft sea green eyes, he knows they do a lot of things that annoys the others but he felt affected the most by Kevin for some reasons. He thought the boy would like him even more after saving him but since the boys memory was strongly affected by the trauma, he hardly remembered what exactly happened afterwards and Double D being as polite and caring as he is wouldn't dare to awake unpleasant memories just for his own selfish needs. So the black haired boy could do nothing but watch and enjoy the little peaceful conversations he has with the ginger.

It's the eighteenth September, Kevin's sixth birthday and his parents planned a little pool party after the school for him. Everyone was invited, everyone but Eddy. Kevin made it very clear for everyone, even his parents, that Eddy is not someone he wants to spend any minute of his life with. A bit confused by it but still respecting Kevin's choice his parents send no invitation to the boy, but rather a apology card, because they do feel sorry that everyone was invited but the poor little kid wasn't. While Nazz keeps Kevin busy and away from his house, his parents and the other kids parents prepared the party. Then they sneaked the kids inside the house with a little surprise guest as well. Double D is in his room, getting himself ready for the party, while Eddy forbid him and Ed to go, he decided to not listen, _"He is just angry at the fact he wasn't invited! If he wouldn't had let his jealousy break the friendship with Kevin then he would had been invited! So he can't blame anyone but himself and I see no reason why I have to break the little connection I have with Kevin because of him! I mean I help Eddy with his scams and pranks, already annoying the other with it! So I deserve to choose if I want to go or not and I want to go!"_, he huffs slightly irritated at the rude behavior of his best friend. But soon smiles as he get's the little birthday package which held the gift he got for Kevin inside, _"I hope he likes it, I searched really hard to find him the prettiest"_. Happily running down the stairs to his waiting father and gives the man a nod, letting him know that he was done with getting ready. Both walked out of the house and towards the Dorn's house, letting his father ringing the bell it didn't took long till a grinning woman opens it. This is the first time he get's to see Kevin's parents in personal and he stares at the woman in front of him, _"She is so young and pretty! She just looks like a older female version of Kevin! But he has nicer eyes in my humble opinion"_. Talking a bit with his father the woman leads them towards the living room then went to close the door and went into the kitchen. Now Double D got to meet the woman's husband, who was entertaining the kids. John was lifting a laughing Johnny, who was holding onto his arm up and flexed his pretty impressive biceps on the other arm, making the girls giggle and boys cheer. There are a few kids from school that he didn't really knew but was sure Kevin knew, the boy was pretty popular. Watched his father joining the other parents outside in the garden with a other and older version of Kevin's mom cooking the barbecue. Double D knew the woman since she lived here before he did moved there, she was a nice lady and was once more a proof that Kevin's parents are very young since she is herself still very young to be a grandmother. Double D looks around the house and suddenly feels giddy, _"Comfortable and clean, my first time being in Kevin's home and I have to admit that it's quite pleasant. I wouldn't mind staying here"_. Smiling happily, he walks towards John who is surrounded by kids wanting his attention.

"Excuse me Mr. Dorn?", Double D asks politely for the man's attention which he got, but his eyes went wide open as sea green eyes shine with amusement at him, _"Kevin's eyes! And oh goodness! He is handsome!"_. The blond man's deep but calm voice brought him back to reality.

"Call me John, Mr Dorn sounds so old!", the man gives a rich and warm laugh, "Well little guy what can I do for you?".

Said boy was blushing for reasons he couldn't understand and held out the gift package, "I um … this is Kevin's birthday gift from me! But up be careful because it has water in it and it needs to stay in it!".

"Water? What exactly did you get Kevin?", John raises a eyebrow at the boy.

"I um … I got him the prettiest clown fish, it's a male", still blushing, he informs the older man.

"A clown fish?! Oh wow! That's a pretty sick gift you got him!", the man grins at that and ruffles the boys head with his hat still kept on.

"S-Sick?", squeals softly at the touch and stares with big wide ice blue eyes at the man, worried that he might got the wrong gift.

"Yeah like in awesome you know? Anyway I'll show you where you can put it", at that Double D relaxes and follows the man upstairs into the bedroom, "Here put it in the bedside closed on the right side. It'll be safe here because no one is allowed to come in, I will also lock the door.".

"okay!", he puts the gift gently on top the said bedside closet and follows the man back outside, watching him locking the door and putting the key into his jeans pocket, "Thank you!".

"No problem! Ain't want to accidentally kill my boy's gift! A dead fish isn't really a gift for anyone!", the man laughs softly, making the little boy smile. "So let's get back down to the other and wait for Kevin, I'll have to give Nazz a call to finally get Kevin home!".

Double D nods in agreement and follows the tall man back to the living room and together with the other kids he goes through the glass veranda door to the garden, which had a big filled paddling pool, a lot of birthdays balloons and a clown. He stays on the on a wooden porch part of the garden with a Patio Roof protecting the porch and the outdoors things on it from the hot summer sun. He smells the grilled hamburgers, chicken wings and steaks. The laughter of playing children was loud but pleasant, Johnny and a few other already got kid of their clothing and were in their swimsuits, playing in the water. Other played with some of the balloons and the many sport balls Kevin has. He sees Sarah and Jimmy with the clown and decides to join them. The parents where inside the dinning part of the living room, talking, laughing and drinking coffee. Madeleine finished the last dozen burgers and put them on the long wooden garden table with the benches attached to it, which was on the porch of the garden. John this time decided to grand the kids parents with his attention. Kathleen and her mother got the birthday paper plates and plastic cups for every kid ready, big bottles of Coca Cola and Fanta on the table and a big bowl of fries. While the kids have fries, chicken wings and hamburgers, the parents get lean boneless strip steaks with a fine Gorgonzola sauce, mashed potatoes, four season fried beans and to drink either water or a fine Eberle wine. Kathleen sighs happily as she finally got everything done and everyone entertained, just then the door bell sings twice, the signal from Nazz that they're there. Running towards the window to check and smiles as she sees the blond having her son over her shoulder, _"Strong and clever, I think I like that girl more and more!"_. Nodding towards John, who tells the parents and goes outside to tell the kids that the birthday kid arrived, getting them excited and standing in front of the glass door to peek inside. Madeleine rushes into the kitchen to lit the birthday candles on the big birthday cake and carry it, nodding at her daughter from the kitchen and Kathleen opens the door.

"Hey Nazz and Kevin! Fancy seeing you here! Come on inside!", Kathleen giggles at the complaining Kevin that is still over the over weighted girls shoulder.

"Yeps! I came to deliver Kevin and join you guys!", a proud Nazz walks into the house and finally puts Kevin on his feet, who was about to ask Nazz why she didn't let him walk the whole time but stops as he sees all the people.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEVIN!", everyone cheered loudly for the ginger and Kevin just gapes at them. Till the kids run inside towards Kevin, almost pushing each other out of the way to reach the startled birthday kid. Each telling the boy how much better their gift is for him and making the ginger laugh happily.

"Thank you! This is awesome!", Kevin smiles at his mother and soon was pulled by Nazz outside the garden to play, the kids following eagerly and the parents laughing at them. John giving Kathleen two thumps up, who winks at him before getting her handy out and making a call. Soon heavy steps come from the stairs and two strong hands take the cake from Kathleen's mother, walking outside to the garden with all the adults following behind. Kevin was busy playing before a familiar voice made him turn and gasp.

"Happy birthday little champ!", it was mark, who just for Kevin's first birthday in Peach Creek came all the way to celebrate with his family. The college allowed him to go there for two days, but for that he had to get higher grades which Mark managed much to his dislike. Months of hard studying but he figured it would be worth it.

"MARK! You came! Just for me birthday?!", Kevin sprinted over to the older and hugged his long legs, then took a look at the cake, "Wow! That's mine?!". It was a big chocolate cake in the form of a big baseball, having used marzipan to get the baseball look and red glaze saying 'Happy 5th Birthday Champ!'.

"What do you think silly? Of course!", mark laughs with the other parents and then put the big cake in the middle of the table in the garden. All the kids took a seat already and the adults stood close to their kids, "now come here champ!", the birthday kid obeyed and went to stand in front of the cake, his family behind him.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Kevin, happy birthday to you! From good friends and true, from old friends and new, may good luck go with you and happiness too!", everybody sang loudly and happily, even the clown sang along.

"Now blow those five candles, but make a wish before!", John tells his son, who nods and closes his eyes before blowing all five candles out at once. Having everyone clapping and his mother cutting the cake for everyone. While his mother gave every kid and adult a piece, Kevin sat down with Nazz besides him and the kids started to eat. The clown and Mark joined the kids, getting separate chairs to the table and keeps them entertained while eating. The adults reentered the living room and sat together at the table inside, finally be able to eat as well and having their conversations.

"Look Mark! I still got your baseball cap! I always wear it!", Kevin informs his uncle proudly who chuckles at the boy.

"Yes! I'm very proud and happy about that!", ruffling his nephew hair with the hat still on, making the other kids laugh at Kevin's wild hair. Looking at all the happy and relaxed faces, Double D couldn't help but wished his two best friends were here as well. Ed went to Eddy this morning and was probably held from going to the party, Double D of course knew better as to go to Eddy at this day, _"Poor Ed, is probably whining about how he gets no cake"_. Lifting a burger towards his mouth which he holds with two napkins on each side he holds into and hums happily while eating, watching Kevin laughing at a joke the clown made.

After the lunch and cake, the kids all demanded for Kevin to open their gifts. Mark chuckles and obeys, getting the gifts together with John. Double D frowns a bit as he didn't saw his gift being brought along with the other but said nothing, just watching Kevin opening all the gifts. Most are toys that are sport related. Kevin's uncle got Kevin a signed shirt from him and his team, it's the team shirt from his college, Kevin cheered loudly and instantly put it on and proudly presents it to the other. From his family he got new clothes for either his sport activities or just casual, which found Kevin very useful. Nazz however gave Kevin a best friends necklace from which she has the fitting part around her neck, making Kevin smile sweetly at her and blush as she kissed him on the cheek. At that Double D pouted but wasn't sure if it was because of how nice Nazz gift is or at the kiss. After a while it seemed that all gifts are opened but John told them to wait for a moment and went inside again, they waited while talking about the gifts before John came back with Double D's gift.

"This one is from Eddward there and very special!", he gently puts the gift in front of Kevin on the table and helps Kevin to slowly open it.

"A fish?!", inside a cute little fishbowl with a little castle and treasure box in it to entertain a small clown fish, which was hiding at the sudden light and faces in the little castle, only poking it's head out.

"A mall clown fish actually. I had to search long to get the perfect one for you and it's a male!", Double D nervously explains as the kids start to say how cute it is and that the gift is very adorable.

"Thank you Double D! This is really awesome! I will name him Tobi!", Kevin grins at the shy boy and starts making cute little sounds at the fish to get it to come out of it's hiding spot.

While double D was just staring with a red face at the birthday boy, _"He likes it! He says it's awesome! He already even gave it a name! Tobi … it's a cute name!"_. The boy with the black ski hat smiles happily at the ginger, showing the gap between his teeth. John then came and offered to get his new pet into his room so it can rest and get used to everything, only getting a nod from the boy before Nazz pulled him along with her and the other kids to dance as Kathleen put on some happy kids music. John carrying the pet upstairs, Kathleen getting Kevin's swimsuit for him to wear, Madeleine Entertaining the parents and Having Mark and the clown team up to entertain the kids. Double D even went into the big paddling pool with all the kids after Kevin asked him to join them. As it got later the kids started to leave with their parents and the clown got his payment before also leaving. It was a long and exhausting day for the Dorn's but Kevin had a lot of fun. Mark and Madeleine stayed to help cleaning most things up and Kevin's parents decided that they would do the rest the next day. Mark this time brought Kevin to bed and wished him a goodnight, before joining his family on the couch and watch some TV together, talking about his college days. He was however happy when he got to his own home with his mother and his own room, he would had never guessed that he'll miss his room so much but he did.

The next day Mark had to o back to his college but it wasn't like the first goodbye, it was cheerful and relaxed. Kevin went to school with wearing Nazz's gift under his shirt, his parents to work and after they all come back they cleaned the rest of the house, even Kevin had to help but he didn't mind so much. He would check on Tobi, who's bowl was on a wooden dresser in his room, everyday and take great care of him. For him, Tobi was the best gift of all and he wanted to be friends with Double D. But the said boy had to deal with a very angry Eddy the next day till a new scam idea made him forget. But with the polite boy always hanging out with Eddy, Kevin never really got a chance to get closer to Double D and after the birthday, the whole issue with him and Eddy just got worse. Soon Kevin just forgot about it and everything went back like before, which displeased Double D but he just accepts it, _"Like always … I just wish things were a bit more simple"_.

"Sock-head!", the ice blue eyed boy gasps and is faced with a angry Eddy.

"Oh! My apologies Eddy! I was so lost in thought that I didn't listen".

"Double D! Don't get lost in that big brains of you! We might never find you again!", Ed yelled, actually being concerned.

"Ed … you can-"

"Whatever, so listen this is my idea for a perfect scam! This time It'll work!".

"_It never does … but oh well! Here goes nothing!"_, Double chuckles softly while listening to his best friend's plan, while his other best friend just giggles mindlessly.

Just another day in the Cul-De-Sac.

**End of Chapter one. **

* * *

**End Note: **Well that was the very first chapter of my Story. I hope you enjoyed it.

About the age of the kids, I'll make then pretty much the same age, besides of the Sarah, Jimmy and the Kanker sisters. Why? Well I never thought about the age, they all seemed for me to be pretty close to the same age. The show itself didn't really thought about the age besides of showing once Eddy's age and even that could had been done randomly, hell only Nazz and Kevin have last names in the show! They share the same classes and everything, besides of Sarah and Jimmy being maybe a year younger and the Kanker sisters because they have different fathers but still seem to be pretty close to the same age as well. So I kinda stick to the show on that and just make them the same age with Jimmy, Sarah and May being one year younger as the other and Lee being one year older as the other kids. I think that also makes it more comfortable and fair for everyone. Ed, Edd N' Eddy isn't really a show that takes itself serious in any way.

I want to inform you all before I continue ... I do not know if I will finish this story since this is just a hobby I have. I did plan it out and have several pages with what to do for the next chapters and so on but you know how it can be. Either I lose interest or have no time. However I will try and continue as much as possible and make it as long as possible, but I will not promise you guys anything. I did that once and I disappointed my readers. Same with the updates, I do not know how much and often I will update. This one took me four days, even more if you count in the information pages on the characters and show! I wanted to have it as truthful as possible, from the characters looks and personality to how their houses look from inside out. Even got the Map from the shows towns! I hope I managed it somehow.

If I should discontinue this I will inform you guys before and you all are free to use it as you please, for your art or own stories. I ain't gonna sue anyone over a fan story and you guys don't need to ask or anything, just have fun with this.

Thank you for your time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again!**

This is the second chapter of my story and I'm very excited of how you all will like it.

But please remember this story is a slow built romance between Edd and Kevin.

There will be moments suggesting towards that but don't expect this story to be filled with their romance.

Why? Because I want to make this story more realistic and with that I don't see those two getting together that easily. The different lifestyles and social connection they both have would make it, outside of fiction, very difficult for even a tight friendship. They do have connections but not enough to have an instant relationship, especially with Kevin being the very masculine jock, that clearly shows interest in women and Double D being the shy dork, that also shows interest in females.

So the homosexual part wouldn't be that easy to appear and I don't want the characters to be to different from the show. But the main goal for me in this story is Edd/Kevin, so don't worry.

I hope you'll understand and I ask to be more patient with it.

* * *

**Chapter two:**

The slamming of the front door was heard through the house and made Kathleen sigh, _"Another fight with Eddy?"_. The woman wished that the two kids would just get along or at least stay out of each other hair, but apparently it's just impossible for both to manage. The now eight years old ginger stomps into the living room and throws himself face first onto the couch, growling loudly and cursing the other boy. Kathleen mentally preparing herself for the complaining before walking towards her son.

"What is it this time?", she asks while sitting on the part of the couch that wasn't covered by the little boy.

"I don't get it mommy! Why does Eddy always has to scam and prank us! Why can't he just leave us alone!", the yells in anger, his face still pressed into the couch.

"Maybe he just wants to play with you all too or maybe he just wants the attention of your all?", in all honesty, Kathleen doesn't know herself why exactly the boy does what he does. But she believes that he means nothing bad by it, _"He is still just a child himself"_.

"He is annoying! I hate him! I don't want to play with him! I just want to punch him!", Kevin finally lifts his face and glares at his mother.

"Kevin! No violence! And stop giving me that look young man!", his mother demanded, making the younger mumble a apology as he moved to sit normally on the couch. Kathleen watch her son turning on the TV and changing the channels till he reached a cartoon. While Kevin watched TV, his mother watched him, _"That's it?You're just going to pout?"_. After a while the older his frowns at her child's behavior and asks, "Kevin … did you hurt Eddy?".

The boy shrugs and says, "He deserved it! After that stupid scam he should be happy I only punched him in the face and not beat him to the ground! The dork almost damaged babe!".

That surprised Kathleen and she stares at her son, who still had his eyes on the TV screen, _"Kevin never got physical before! How can he just shrug it off?!"_, deciding that she'll have to talk with John about this, she questions her son, "I'm not happy to hear you punched someone! And dork?".

"He deserved it! And I got it from an older boy in school … Eddy is annoying and lame! That's why he is a dork!", but before his mother could respond, the door bell rang. "I'll get that! It's probably Nazz and the other!", he says as he jumps up and head to open the door.

"Kevin!", the over weighted blond cheered before pulling her best friend into a tight hug, making it difficult for the long haired ginger to breath.

"N-Nazz! Can't breath!", Kevin chokes out and takes a deep breath as his friend finally releases him.

"Oh sorry Kevin, but you wouldn't believe what we found out!", Nazz giggled in excitement.

"Yes Kevin! You know the abandoned farm besides Double D's house?", jimmy asks just as excited as the blond girl.

"You know the one we sometimes play on!", Ed's little sister further explained.

"Yeah, yeah! I know what you're talking about. What is about it?", Kevin asks and raises a eyebrow in confusion.

"A new family will move in!", all three kids yell at the same time, making the little ginger jump a bit.

"A new family?", now the boy was greatly interested.

All three nod and Sarah decided to explain, "Yes a family from a weird far away country and they have a son in our age! Jonny told us about it! They're farmers!".

"Choice! Let's check this out guys!", the other kids cheered at that and pulled Kevin along with them, all excited about the new kid.

"Kevin wait! We have to-", but the kids were already across the street as Kathleen called after them, to excited to hear her, "Never mind then". She watches the kids with a small smile and shakes her head in amusement before closing the door and watching some TV.

Jonny was already waiting for them with Plank and rings the bell as they all arrived. They didn't have to wait long before a tall boy with light brown hair opens the front door, "Oh hello! You came to welcome Rolf, yes?".

All the kids stare at the tall and very strong looking boy with a uni-brow, making Kevin raise his perfectly trimmed eyebrows, _"I'm thankful my mommy takes care of my appearance because that looks stupid!"_, but he decides to not mention it. "Um yes … I guess. I'm Kevin Dorn I live just across the street!".

"I'm Sarah Hill and this is my best friend Jimmy Christenson!", the female ginger of the group introduced herself and her friend, who hides behind her and continues to stare at the new kid.

"I'm Nazz Van Bartonschmear dude! Totally rad to meet you!", the blond giggles and continues holding onto Kevin's arm, which the boy doesn't mind.

"I'm Jonny Grove and this is my best friend Plank!", the boy with very short blond hair, making him almost appear to be bald, holds out his wood board, which has a face drawn on it. Rolf stares at the wood and then gives the boy who holds it a confused expression.

"Okay … Jonny the wood boy", he turns his attention to the other kids, "Rolf is impressed with your family names. Rolf's family name is Kelamis, we're proud farmers from a big old country!", the boy stands tall and proud.

"Um … cool! Hey! Wanna come to the playground with us?", Kevin gives the boy a grin.

"Stale end piece of white bread wants to play with Rolf and be his friend?".

"_What did he just call me?"_, Kevin blinks confused at the boy and before he could say anything Nazz giggles and nods.

"Yes! Come on dude! It'll be fun!", and with that Nazz picked Kevin up again, ignoring his complaining and heads towards the playground, with the new kid following and being ask all sorts of questions from the kids. They didn't really found out from where exactly Rolf came from, but they heard some very weird stories about his family, especially his nana's and figured that Rolf was a pretty weird kid. The the playground they met the Ed's, again trying to scam the kids.

"Hello! We-", Eddy yelled from a a weird stand he and his other two friends built, but stopped as he saw the new kid, "Who are you?", it was less a question and more a demand.

"Eddy! Be more polite! It's the new kid that moved in with his family next to me, I told you about it!", Double D frowns at his friend's behavior and smile apologetic at the tall boy, "Excuse my Friends behavior, he is actually a very-", but he stops himself. He doesn't really have a good excuse for Eddy, "Anyway! I'm Eddward Vincent with two D's, you can also call me Double D! It's always pleasant to see a new face around here!".

Before Rolf could say anything, a boy just his height yelled loudly into his face, "I'm Ed!", a goofy laugh later he adds, "With only one D!".

after a wipe across his face from the boys spit, Rolf grins at them, "Rolf! The son of a shepherd! Rolf finds it nice to meet you!".

Eddy laughing loudly at the odd boys behavior, making Kevin and Double D frown at the same time, "What's up with him and what is a shepherd?!", Ed mindlessly laughing along with him though it is obvious that he has no clue why.

"Are you mocking Rolf's mighty shepherd of a father?!", the light brown haired boy growls dangerously into Eddy's face, making the boy stop and stare with dreadful eyes back at him.

"N-No! Of course not!", the smaller giggles nervously.

Kevin grins at that and pulls his new friend further on the playground, "I don't mind him! He is just a dork! Let's go and play Rolf!", Rolf just nods and let his new friend pull him. The other kids joined them soon, leaving the Ed's watch them.

"You know Eddy, why don't we forget about the scam and join them?", Double D asks while staring at them longingly, _"Please, just this one time! Let's just pretend we belong and we're normal!"_.

"Yes! Let's play with the new kid Eddy!", Ed agrees and already starts walking towards them, only to be pulled back by his friend.

"Forget about them! This new kid got all the attention and ruined our perfect scam! We have to think of something new now! Maybe we can get him to be our friend instead of shovel-chin's!", Eddy grins at his idea and starts pulling his friends off the playground, towards Double D's house.

"But Eddy if we just simply join them and befriend him normally, I'm sure he'll become our friend!", Double D tries to reason with his friend but like most of the times he get's ignored.

"I just have the perfect idea! You'll see it'll work!", While Ed cheers and giggles, the boy with the ice blue eyes just sighs.

And just like Double D knew, it backfired horribly, making Rolf angry and chase them around the neighborhood. Having the other kids follow him and also threatening to beat them up. Luckily they escaped, but Double D was just to irritated with everything that he went home instead of hanging out in Eddy's place like they always do. The next day he saw the kids helping Rolf and his family a bit with the moving in, especially as the farm animals arrived. The boy decided to help them and was very welcomed to do so. Ed was dragged there by his sister to also help, but Eddy was no where to be seen, _"It's sometimes like he doesn't even want to get along with everyone!"_. But Double D knew better, even thought Eddy tries to hide it, he knows that his friend just wants to be as popular as Kevin and that his dislike for the other is just because he is jealous, _"Eddy is not as bad as everyone thinks, but he does make it hard for other to see that"_. The intelligent boy understand a bit of his best friends jealousy, he himself is not innocent from such feelings. Seeing how Kevin get's along with Rolf so well and getting closer to him, it makes Double D frown a lot. He is jealous, but he doesn't really know of whom and why. But he soon realizes that he is not the only one feeling uncomfortable with the two boys closeness, Nazz seems to dislike it as well. He witness a couple of times that the blond would forcefully pull Kevin away from Rolf or try to get the gingers attention. But Kevin seemed to like the boy, he was into sports as well and pretty good in them too. So the ginger was staying close to the boy, much to Nazz's displeasure who tried to keep Kevin by her side. Rolf also goes to the same school and class as the others, the boy had no difficulties of earning the kids respect since he is very strong and one of the tallest. The new boy doesn't seem to mind the Ed's that much, only when Ed would get his chickens or Eddy would mock his culture. However it was very clear that he enjoyed Kevin's attention and also wants to keep his company, because of that Nazz and him got in little arguments. The sea green eyed boy however remained oblivious to it, just as oblivious to the fact that Nazz was losing weight.

The fact that Kevin only called eddy a dork all the time and not the other two, was pleasant for Double D and made him feel like he still had a connection with the boy. It also helped that when both weren't with their smaller friend, the ginger would hang out with them or ask them to join him. The boy with the black ski hat cherished those moments for reasons he still didn't knew but he did however question it. That all changed when a scam went horribly wrong, ending with the Ed's accidentally almost destroying Kevin's bike beyond repair. He never saw Kevin as furious and disappointed in him than that day and it did only hurt even more when the boy officially deemed the other two Ed's as dorks too. The following weeks being called 'double dork' or just 'dork' made Double D cringe and almost cry. He had never thought that something like that would happen and the fact that it did just made his heart almost break in two. Kevin kept even more distance now and Double D's unexplained longing for the boys closeness grew.

While john doesn't really care about his son getting into fights because for him it's just what boys do, Kathleen wasn't really happy about that, mainly because she knows that it's not really fighting as much of Kevin dealing with his frustrations in a violent way. While understanding why Kevin reacts the way he does, she worries that he'll get's to aggressive.

"John, I don't know. I don't like my baby using his fists to solve a problem", the woman explains to her husband. It's already late and Kevin is already in bed.

Holding his wife close as they both watched a movie on the TV, "Babe, he tried that, remember? But if you would get provoked and annoyed all the time, wouldn't you do the same? As I remember you were freaking feared in school!".

The ginger blushes as she remembers how she herself dealt with conflicts, "I know but it doesn't mean Kevin has to do the same!".

Now turning to look at his wife, John gives her an amused look, "Where you think he got his short temper?! Come on babe, kids do stuff like that! It's hardly anything serious".

"You think? You're not worried about Kevin going to far sometimes?"

"In all honesty babe! Even I'm getting impatient with those kids, they ruined our chimney last week! I don't know how kids could do that but they managed it! Don't you think they go a bit to far and that Kevin didn't murder them when they almost ruined his bike beyond repair is a miracle?!", John frowns at the memories, he talked to the kids parents at least five times already and each time it didn't seem to make a difference. They get grounded a week and everything starts all over again, _"I'm getting a bit annoyed with them myself!"_.

Kathleen remembers as well and admits that she herself got very angry, "Yeah … you've got a point", she sighs and decides to drop the topic all together, _"Some things can't be avoided, Kevin is growing up and starts to deal with situations on his own. Maybe that's actually worrying me, normally my baby would always come to his mommy for help. But now he hardly needs his mommy anymore"_.

Seeing the troubled look on his wife's face, "What's wrong babe?".

"I just don't like the fact that Kevin doesn't seem to need me so much anymore …", Kathleen pouts, making John laugh in amusement and poke her sides playfully, making her jump and giggle.

"Don't be silly, he still needs you and always will, just in a different way!", John tickles his wife, just wanting her to smile, "Anyway didn't you told me that you wanna try out that casting for voice acting?".

After he stopped tickling her and she calmed down, she gives him a big smile, "Yeah! It's in five days, on Monday. I already asked my boss if I can take free that day since it's in the morning and in the city! I'm a bit nervous … what if-".

"Nope! We ain't gonna start with 'what if's' here! You will rock it, I know you will!", pushes his hand onto Kathleen's mouth to stop her from continuing.

"You're sure? I mean, I was was alright in high school in the theater group, but this isn't high school! This is the real deal John!", she said after pushing his mouth off her mouth.

"From what I've heard, you were better as 'alright'! Don't get all insecure on my ass lady! That ain't the tough and proud woman I married!", poking her forehead to make his point clearer, "You will go there and blow their minds!".

"Yes sir!", a playful salute before both start laughing, "Oh my god, will we ever grow up?".

"Nope! And I like that!", John kisses his beautiful wife deeply before sneaking his hands under her and lift her up, making her yelp.

"John! What are you doing?!", Kathleen complaints as he carries her towards the stairs, "At least turn everything off first!".

"I'll do that later, but for now it's not my top priority here. Your husband wants some loving and that now!", he chuckles as he got a playful slap on the back of his head from his blushing wife, who can't stop giggling.

"You're such a goof!"

Nothing was turned off that night and made Kathleen nag at her blond husband the next morning, who didn't seem to mind and wouldn't stop grinning. Kevin was very confused by his parents behavior and decided to just ignore it, _"Adults are just weird! I'll never be as weird as an adult!"_. That day Rolf would get him to help him at the farm, which Kevin agreed to, though the boy had no idea how much he would regret that decision. The taller boy laughed a lot that day, watching the ginger struggle with even the simple tasks. Rolf saw it as a perfect payback for Kevin always mocking and teasing him, thought he hardly mind those since they're pretty innocent, especially compared to what the Ed's sometimes did. It was still very pleasant to see his proud little friend throwing little temper tantrums.

"This is the most not choice thing ever! Rolf! Stop laughing at me and help me!", the ginger somehow ended up stuck under one of Rolf's three pigs again. The pig seemed to have taken a liking to Kevin or more a liking to jump onto the kid and just lay on top of him.

Laughing at the scene Rolf finally decided to help his friend, "Come on Wilfred! Stop distracting Rolf's friend!", pushing the pig off of Kevin and helping his friend up.

"What's wrong with your pig!", Kevin frowns while brushing the dirt of his jeans shorts and red T-shirt.

"Wilfred likes you Kevin! It makes Rolf happy that his Wilfred likes Rolf's best friend!", the taller explained his friend happily, making the ginger blush and give a small smile.

"Oh! Alright then, but I still don't want your pig to attack me like that!", Kevin laughs, _"He said that I'm his best friend!"_.

"Rolf will make sure that Wilfred behaves!", the farmer boy says while shooing his pig off, "Kev-boy? Would you like to join into Rolf's house and let Rolf make you one of Rolf's traditional food for good work?".

Knowing by now how weird his friends traditions are, Kevin is a bit wary about the food, "Um … no thanks ... but I do like to stop working and hang out with you inside!", the ginger smiles nervously at his friend.

Said friend just shrugs, "More for Rolf then!", he cheers and starts jogging towards the backyard double glass door of his house, with Kevin following right behind. Opening the door wide and grinning at his friend, "Make yourself feel home, Rolf's Kevin boy!".

Kevin was in Rolf's home many times already, but each time he is always impressed at how clean and cozy it is, _"And huge! Rolf probably has the biggest house in the neighborhood. He has even his very own farm in the back yard, with his own animals!"_. The huge living room has some old colonial fashioned furniture which has a big salmon colored couch and a big fitting armchair, both are covered with plastic slip covers which are used to keep them fresh. A fancy chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a painting of a giant squid resembling the mythological 'Kraken' just right above the big couch on the wall. A big round red rug in the middle of little circle which is created by the sitting objects facing the weird TV set with a small screen that only has four channels. Several cabinet's with old decorative plates, clocks or little candlesticks. Like every house there is a fireplace which has an urn containing the ashes of his great nano on the mantle. Kevin is a bit curious about how his great nano has died, because from all the adventure stories he heard from Rolf about his family, the smaller boy figured that just like Rolf, his family is pretty tough and almost invincible. However Kevin knows better than to ask about it. Taking a seat on the couch and waiting for Rolf, who went into the kitchen to get himself some of his traditional snacks. As his friend came back, holding a bowl that looks like it's out of this world and making Kevin shudder with disgust, Rolf turns on his TV and opens the kids channel. Taking a seat besides his friend on the couch, he starts stuffing that weird food into his mouth. The TV screen is so small, it takes all of Kevin's concentration to even know what it is showing.

"Is Rolf's friend sure that he doesn't want some of Rolf's snacks too?", the boy asks with his mouth stuffed full.

Kevin just smiles nervously at his friend, trying to hide his disgust, "No, I'm fine!", that made the boy shrug and gulp down the large amount of food in his mouth.

"Your loss!", after a comfortable silence of watching cartoons the boy asks his ginger friend, "Kevin boy? You don't mind Rolf asking you a question?"

"Sure, what you want to know?", a little smile towards his friend before turning his attention back on the TV.

"Is Nazz girl Kevin boy's future wife?", that made Kevin choke on some air and coughing, blushing all the way .

"What?!"

Rolf shrugs and stuffs his mouth with another handful of weird food, "Well because Nazz girl is always with Rolf's best friend and Kevin boy does not mock or tease the giant blond".

"N-No ... we're just best friends like we both are", Kevin gulps nervously, looking away from his light brown haired friend to hide the blush on his face.

"Yet Kevin mocks and teases Rolf, but does not do that with Nazz girl"

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously he dares to glance at his friend, "Is is bothering you?".

That made the tall boy blink in confusion and say, "Rolf might want to also spend a lot of time with Kevin boy, but Rolf does not want to marry his friend".

Now Rolf got the full view of his friends scarlet red and shocked face, "What?! NO! Not like that! I meant ... Rolf! I meant my teasing and mocking! You're a boy! Why should i like you like i like Nazz! That's just weird dude!".

"Oh! Then no, Rolf was at first confused but then Rolf realized that it's just how Rolf's friend shows he cares"

"Not really caring ... just how i make jokes and have some fun", the light orange haired boy rubs the back of his neck and the blush slowly disappearing.

After a small pause, Kevin thought the topic was dealt with and was about to turn his attention back to the TV. Until Rolf clearly decides that the topic is far from over, "So Kevin admits he likes the large girl more as just a friend?".

Groaning and feeling his face beginning to heat up again, he drops his head into his hands, "Rolf! This is embarrassing!".

"Rolf does not understand why Rolf's friend feels uncomfortable"

"Because, yes! I like Nazz more as a friend! Can we stop talking about this?!"

the taller kid watches his friend with great curiosity before giving his irritated friend a simple nod, but before they go back to watching TV, he smirks at his friend, "Sure ... Casanova Kevin boy!". Making the smaller groan and roll his eyes, knowing fully well that he'll never get rid of that nickname again. But the topic done now and Kevin was very happy about that. They watched some cartoons and talked about less embarrassing things, till it got late and Kevin had to go home. Like always eating dinner with his parents and watching some 60 Minutes on the TV with them, then giving Tobi some attention and care.

"Hey Tobi! How was your day little buddy", he giggles when his little clown fish only stares at him, "I got some yummy fish food for the cutest fish in the world!", opening the fish food bottle and watching how his little pet rushes towards the surface of the water to eat. Putting the bottle away he continues to watch and talk to his fish. Kevin always does that before going to bed, but this time he suddenly thinks about Nazz and how Tobi probably would like a nice girl in his life too, "You probably feel very lonely, especially when I'm outside. Maybe I can get you a nice fish girl like Nazz too, I will ask mommy tomorrow", watching his little fish swimming around, before a long yawn makes him realize that he should get some sleep. Pressing a slim little finger against the fishbowl and smiling as the fish gives it great attention, "It's time to get some sleep buddy. Goodnight Tobi!", the ginger says as he turns off the red flexible lamp on the bedside table and laying down onto his bed. Cuddling into the cozy blanket and staring at the fishbowl in the dark, he sees some movement and for unexplained reasons he fell asleep thinking about a certain boy that gave him his Tobi.

Said boy was also laying in his bed but had trouble sleeping. He was irritated, glaring into the darkness of his room, seeing the silhouette of the furniture and stuff in his room because of the moonlight shining through his window. The eight years old having trouble dealing with the situation with Kevin. He hates it that he has to watch the boy from a distance while the farmers kid and the blond can go as close as they want. In some ways he blames his friend for it, but at the same time he feels ashamed for doing so, _"Eddy is my best friend! Even if he can be brash and irritating, he never meant anything bad and I do have a lot of fun with Eddy. But I just want to also have Kevin! But they both don't get along, both are so thickheaded!"_, growling and abruptly sitting up on his bed and climbing off of it. Double D walks towards the window, opening it and leaning over the windowsill. He let's his eyes wander across the dark street that only has the lights from the streetlamps showing more detail and stops at the Dorn's house. He sees the light from the living room through the window, letting him know that the parents from Kevin are still awake and turns his attention to the window of Kevin's room. Seeing that the lights are off and knowing that the ginger is already asleep, Double D couldn't help but wonder if the boy still likes the clown fish he gave him, _"Do you still think Tobi is the best gift Kevin? Do you sometimes think of me when you watch him swim? Or did you change your mind and like Nazz's necklace more now? Do you only see me as 'Double Dork' now?_", before he knew it he feels a wet substance rolling down his right cheek. Reaching out and looking at the wet substance on the tip of his fingers with which he touched his cheek. A small whine in both sadness and confusion escapes between his lips, softly dropping his head into his arms he rested on the windowsill and letting soft sobs shake his little frame. He doesn't even know why he is crying but the eight years old didn't care, all he could think about is a certain red baseball cap wearing boy, _"Please don't hate me Kevin! Please don't forget me!"_. The following morning turns out to be full of confusion for Double D as he woke up in his bed, _"I don't remember I had fallen asleep and especially not returning into my bed!"_. Stretching and getting ready for the day, he sees his mother in the big kitchen with his father sitting at the wide dining table in the kitchen, reading the newspaper. Joining his father at the table and having the man hand him the parts of the newspaper he already finished.

"Did you sleep well son?", the older man asked, not taking his eyes off the newspaper.

"Yes father … though I do not know how I woke up in my bed", knowing it sounds weird and the confused look from the black haired man just confirms it.

"Oh! About that! I went to check on you before going to bed, I do that every night. As I saw you have fallen asleep at the windowsill, I just carried you back to your bed", his mother told him as she finished placing the breakfast on the table and joining them.

"Oh … thank you mother, I appreciated it a lot", smiling at the older woman with long smooth black hair besides him before they all started to eat their breakfast.

"Eddward, why were you out of bed?"; the deep voice of his father made him stop eating and stare at his plate. After a while of nothing but very awkward silence, his mother changes the topic. While Samuel was a bit worried about his son's behavior, he also knows when to leave him be. After breakfast, Double D went to Ed. Ringing the bell it didn't took long till the door opened, revealing a small cute girl. Sarah's smile drops as she sees that it is Double D.

"G-Greetings Sarah", the girl rolled her eyes at that, "I'm here for-", but the taller boy couldn't finish because Sarah interrupted him.

"Yeah, yeah! I know!", looking over her shoulder she scream loudly, "ED! IT'S DOUBLE D! HURRY UP!", the loudness of her voice made Double D flinch.

"I'M COMING BABY SISTER!", a always cheerful yell from Ed with loud stomping steps of him running down stairs following. The short haired ginger smiles at his friend happily, "Double D!I was waiting for you!", pulling his smaller friend into a tight hug.

"A-Air! I need air Ed!", laughing at that, Ed finally let go.

"Good, now go away!", both boys jump in surprise as Sarah slams the door shut.

"You heard Sarah Double D! Let's go away and get Eddy!", the happy boy cheered before running down the street, towards Eddy's house. Double D follows his friend and tries not think to much about how hostile Sarah had became towards him, _"At least Jonny, Rolf and Nazz don't hate us … right?"_.

Reaching Eddy's front door, Ed rings the bell several times while calling for Eddy happily, only to have a very irritated Eddy open it and scream at him about how one ring is more than enough. But Ed doesn't seem to mind and just continues to laugh, making Eddy facepalm and give up, "Whatever, just come in already!", both friends obeyed and entered the house. As they went upstairs to Eddy's room, the smaller of the trio already started talking about a new scam he came up with, making Double D sigh.

"Eddy, can't we just not be a annoyance to everyone for once?", but he was ignored. In frustration he slams the door to Eddy's room shut behind him, startling the other in the room and stare at the normally polite boy.

"Eddy! I think Double D is posses by a ancient ghost and is not trying to communicate with us by doing the songs of the doors!", Ed yells and starts running around the room in panic for a while, until Eddy catches the boy and both fall the ground.

"Will you stop!", his only response was a loud laugh and he sighs. Getting off the tall boy and turning towards Double D, who does not look amused, "And what is it with you, sock-head?! Going around and slamming my door!".

That made the boy with the ski hat blink in confusion and then blush in embarrassment of his rude behavior, "My apologies Eddy. I don't know what has gotten into me.", while the boy actually knew why he reacted that way, he is ashamed of letting his emotions control his actions.

"Don't worry Double D, it was the ancient ghost trying to communicate with us through you!", Eddy rolls his eyes at his not so intelligent friend.

"Whatever! Back to my idea for the scam!", Double D just nods at that and Ed laughs at random, making Eddy frown, "What's so funny now?!".

"My tummy tickles", the intelligent boy giggles at his freckled friend and Eddy just runs his hands through the long black hair on top of his head. Gaining their attention back and explains his new idea for the scam and beginning the day like usual. After another failed scam and a group of annoyed kids later, the trio walks around the neighborhood. Eddy complaining about how he doesn't understand why the scam hadn't worked and Ed talking about comic book nonsense, Double D just keeping his thoughts to himself about the whole situation. As he hears a familiar voice, he stops walking and turns around to get a look at who that might be, to his surprise he sees Mark with two suitcases in each hand and gasps. Eddy and Ed finally realizing that their friend isn't besides them anymore and turn to look at Double D, the smaller was about to complain about his friend just stopping walking, but stops when he sees Mark walking towards Kevin's house, which the Ed's just had passed, with all the other kids from the Cul-De-Sac. "Oh look it's Mark! He has come back from his mission on the alien Planet!", Ed yells excited and runs towards the older ginger.

"Ed! Wait! Come back here!", Eddy yells annoyed but Ed already was hugging Mark's long legs. Frowning, he crosses his arms and turns to walk away and back to his house, "Whatever! Let's go Double D!", but the lack of respond from his friend making him stop and look to see his other friend walking towards the group as well.

"Eddy, it's rude to not greet a fellow neighbor!", was all that Double D as he continued his way towards the college student.

Mark patting Ed's head and laughing at the boy's crazy fantasies about him defeating some alien army, "Sure Ed, I defeated them all in one go!", that made the freckled ginger gasp in amazement and then cheer loudly for him. He sees Double D waving at him and grins, "Hey little professor! Still frustrating and embarrassing the teachers?".

"Greetings Mark! It's always a pleasure to see that you still visit us in your vocations! And if you refer about me still holding my grades at the highest rate, then yes", the boy smiles brightly at the older man and showing the gap between his front teeth.

Giving the boy a smile back he glances at his little nephew, who went silent the minute the two boys arrived. It was obvious that Kevin feels uncomfortable with them and doesn't know how to react towards them, while he is more neutral towards Ed and Double D, he still rather have distance from them. They are always helping Eddy with his scams and pranks, it made Kevin distrust them, _"Just go away!"_. Looking around to see if Eddy is going to join them any minute, but as he sees the smaller boy entering his house and slamming the door behind him, Kevin starts to calm down a little. But still slightly paranoid of them, he glares at the two Ed's.

Double D tries to ignore the glare and looks at everything and everyone but Kevin. While the other kids still ask and talk to Mark, the older ginger did notice the tension between the two kids. But instead of confronting them, he just let's them deal with it themselves, _"They'll manage it on their own … I hope"_. As they reached the front door of Kevin's house he waves at the kids for a bye and is pulled inside with Kevin by his older sister, "Hey hey sis!".

Hugging her little brother tightly, "Hey Mark! So happy to see you again!", Kathleen tells the kids to go play again and that they'll have Mark and Kevin back after lunch, closing the door when the kids nod and start running off to play again. Ed was running after his little sister and Double D decided to follow them, both rather not have an angry Eddy complaining about them going to Mark instead of staying with him. Mark was once again bombarded with questions during lunch, from Kathleen and Madeleine. After they finished the meal and the dishes they sat on the couch in the living room together, Kevin was cuddling close to his uncle and enjoying the feeling of fingers playing with his long soft hair. While John was be able watch his son being so peaceful and relaxed, Eddy's father is not so lucky and has to watch how his son is desperately trying to get his brother's attention, or better positive attention. It was a surprise as his older son suddenly stood in front of the door and telling them he has vocation, though the surprise was more about the fact that it is the very first time since he left for college that he even acknowledges their existence, _"No letter or even a call! And now he just pops out of nowhere and behaves like nothing is wrong?!"_, his son's actions irritated the man a lot. But Emma was just happy to finally see her son again and know that he is alright, no matter how much his actions hurt her, she'll always forgive and love him no matter what and because of that Jared swallows his anger, _"Doing this for you babe … otherwise I would had beaten that little shit for making shit difficult for you!"_. Taking a deep breath and decided to calmly tell his older son to treat his little brother better.

"Chad! Eddy is talking to you and he missed you a lot. So just for once behave like a loving big brother!", well as calm as he managed. Jared glares at his older son while patting his younger son on the head besides him on the couch. Emma besides him sighs softly and silently hope that the time the family finally spends together will not end in a chaos.

But Chad will have non of that and just glares at his father, "Whatever! He got nothing interesting to tell, he is just being annoying as usual!", sitting like a king on the armchair and giving his attention to the TV, not even glancing at his family.

Jared's patience was dangerously thin, after that painfully long lunch and watching his little Eddy suffering from his brother's harsh treatment, "Oh so we're being a little shit like usual huh? How about I remind you what happens when little shits think they can disrespect me!", as he still doesn't get his son's attention he growls lowly and stands up from the couch, walking over to the TV and simply turn it off.

"Hey! What the fuck!", Chad growls at his father, also standing up.

"Whoops! Look at that, I must have turned the TV off by accident", the older man smirks at his annoyed son, both glaring at each other.

"Please! No fighting! Please you two, not today and especially not in front of Eddy!", Emma yells in worry, already knowing how this could end and wrapping her arm around a frightened Eddy, who crawled closer to his mother as his father stood up. He also knows how this could end and it frustrates and scares him.

Jared looking over to his wife and the big scared steal blue eyes of his son, he sighs and runs a hand through black short hair. Eddy has the same hairstyle as him, with the sides cut very short and the longer hair on the top of his head. In fact even Chad has the same hairstyle, which sometimes amuses the older man at how much they look alike but yet be so different, "Alright, sorry you two".

The blond with curly shoulder long hair, gives her husband a small smile, "How about we let Chad take some rest and time for himself, I'm sure the trip back home was hard".

Chad however just huffs, "Sure …", that made Jared twitch in annoyance but he keeps his mouth shut, he fears if he says something it could provoke the younger man to say something and that would end with him punching the living shit out of that brat.

"Yeah … sure", both give each other one last glare before Chad made his way upstairs to his room, slamming the door shut and almost making Jared yell at him for doing so.

"... I'll go out … to play with Double D and Ed", Eddy says after a long silence and made his way to the door, putting on his shoes and exit the house. Once the door closes behind him, he starts running towards the forest, hoping he will be alone there and let his frustrations loose. Eddy always goes to the forest if things just get to much for him and to cry or scream, _"Why does big brother hate me so much?! No matter how hard I try, he always looks at me with so much disgust! Am I'm so much of a loser that not even my own brother likes me?"_. Running a bit deeper in the woods and to his special place close the long river named the Creek, sitting in front of it and wrapping his arms around his legs. Head buried into his knees, he starts sobbing and let the tears fall onto his light blue shorts. Suddenly he thinks about how Mark treats Kevin, sure the older enjoys teasing and mocking the younger but in a more loving way as Chad does with Eddy, _"He hugs Kevin and comforts him when he is sad. He helps him and gives him most of his attention, always smiling at Kevin and trying to make him laugh!"_, He remembers all the time Mark told Kevin how proud he was of him or how much he loves his Kevin, _"He calls Kevin his … brother doesn't even acknowledges me as his brother. All the kids love Mark and Kevin … but nobody likes me or does even know my brother!"_. Crying harder at the fact and screaming loudly to nobody how unfair everything is. "I hate you Kevin! I hate you so much! I HATE YOU!", but deep down he knows that he doesn't, he hates his happiness, his luck and how easy it is for Kevin to get along with everyone. He regrets not being his friend anymore but he just can't admit it and that is the main reason why he just can't stop himself from attacking the boy whenever he can. A twisted side of him enjoys Kevin's reaction's, his frustration and anger, he likes the fact that he got the kid's attention so much that he'll attack him as well whenever he can. Another thing he'll never going to admit to anyone and himself, that he likes to have the ginger as his rival and having the boy view him as a rival as well.

After a while the little eight years old boy calmed down and washed his face with the water of the river. Face wet, eyes red and puffy from all the crying, he stares at his reflection on the water. He doesn't know how long he was there, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to go back home. Deciding that he will take the long way back home he follows the Creek river, towards the direction of the Lane. Meanwhile Chad left the house after another heated argument with his father, slamming the front door shut behind him and stops for a moment. Running his hand through his hair in annoyance and looks around the neighborhood, most of the kids were at the playground. It was quiet which Chad found even more frustrating, he got used to the city life where his college was. There was always noise and people, there was always something to do. He already misses his friends from college, always hanging out and screwing around with other people, partying and having some stupid girls willing to do anything for them, _"Stupid and naive chicks. Always so eager as soon you're somewhat of a bad boy and man, do I miss those bitches right now! It's so boring here!"_. Just as he was about to go to the bus stop and hang out in the city of Peach Creek, he sees a little boy walking down the neighborhood street with a pig, coming from the playground. Chad watched the light brown haired boy for a while, _"Who the hell is that now? Another new kid, how many of those will move here? And of course he is taller than Eddy … everyone is taller than Eddy"_, rolling his eyes as he thought about his brother and walked towards the boy. The older raises an eyebrow as he hears that the boy was talking to his pig, _"Welcome to Cul-De-Sac! Where everyone is a weirdo"_.

"Wilfred! Why you make yourself dirty after Rolf cleaned you just yesterday?! You made Rolf dirty as well! If you want Rolf to continue to take you with Rolf to play with friends, you better behave next time!", the boy frowns at the pig covered in grass and sand. Full of grass and sand himself, Rolf huffs in annoyance as he carries the pig to his house. Glancing to his left he sees the older one walking towards him and he stops, "Oh hello! You look like a older Eddy to Rolf! Are you Eddy's uncle too?", Rolf smiles at the boy with curiosity in his eyes.

Now standing in front of the kid and looking down at the smaller, "First of I look nothing like the Pipsqueak and secondly I'm his older brother!", the older growls at the boy and even made the pig start to struggle in the boys arms in fright.

Feeling very intimidated by the older man and trying to keep his old onto his pig, "... Oh. Well Rolf is sorry, Rolf just thought that big scary man was like Mark to Rolf's best friend Kevin. Rolf will now leave Ed-boy's big brother", about to walk away from the boy but was stopped by a big hand grabbing onto his upper arm.

"Mark is here?", that information was new to Chad, he thought Mark would be staying at college since his college is even more far away as the college Chad goes.

Blinking at the man, Rolf was startled by the sudden move and froze into place, not moving, "Y-Yes. The great Mark is with Kevin on the playground with all the other friends of Rolf … now if the big scary boy could-".

"Great Mark huh? How long you know him?", still not letting go of the boy and interrupting him, knowing fully well what the kid was about to ask and he was having non of that.

"J-Just today. Kevin boy let Rolf … how you say that? Hang out with Mark"

"Hmm … you said that Kevin is your best friend?"

Still not happy about the tight hold onto his arm, but smiling proudly at the other anyway, "Yes! Casanova Kevin boy is Rolf's very known friend!".

"Oh! Kevina found herself a boyfriend!", Chad smirks cruelly at Rolf and tightening the hold onto his arm, making the boy yelp in pain and struggle again.

"K-Kevina? What?", the boy asks at first confused but as the pain from the hold became stronger he forgot about that fast, "You're bringing pain to Rolf! Rolf demands you to release Rolf's arm!".

Chad's smirk just widens at the now very angry Rolf and shakes his head, "Nope! Since Kevina has her bodyguard of an uncle around her, I can't play with her", pulling the boy closer to glare into the boy's deep cognac brown eyes with his steel blue eyes, chuckling as he sees those soft eyes widen in fight, "So I gonna play with her toy boy!".

Rolf didn't know what to do, he barely realized that his pig was struggling wildly in his arm in panic, the same panic that is immobilizing his body. He couldn't help twitching as the older man moved, "NO! Don't hurt Rolf!", but as he realized that the other released him, he stares at the black haired man.

Chuckling darkly at the kid's confusion, Chad simply walked away and made his way to the bus stop again, "We'll play later Rolfy! Oh and say hi to Kevina for me!", he called back at the boy, glancing over his shoulder just to see the scared farmer's kid run into his house. Whistling innocently as he passed some elderly people, _"Well at least this week won't be that boring anymore"._

On the playground Mark was playing with the kids, putting them on his shoulder and pretend to be a helicopter for them. It was Planks turn which Mark found the most pleasant because it was a peace of wood and not as heavy as a child, knowing jonny for so long, it wasn't that weird for anyone anymore. Said child was running after them and cheering for his friend Plank. The other kids giggled and as soon Mark finishes the round all the kids would ask for their turn, Nazz was a lot harder for Mark to carry, but he did realize pretty soon that the girl was losing weight, "Hey Nazz!", he calls as he put the still heavy and overweight girl onto his back, he has to carry her different than the other.

The blond wraps her arms around his neck and giggles happily, "Yes?".

Getting a good hold onto her and turn his head to look over his shoulder at the cute girl, "You lost weight, right?".

"Y-Yes ...", blushing slightly and looking away from the older man's amber brown eyes, "Mark? Can I ask you something?".

Now a little worried with the girls reaction, _"Why isn't she happy that I noticed? Is everything alright with Nazz?"_, but he smiles at her anyway even thought she isn't looking, "Sure Nazz! Ask away girl!".

Holding tighter onto the older ginger, "I-If I would be more slim like the other girl … do you think Kevin would spend more time with me instead with Rolf?".

Blinking at that and processing what she was saying, Mark gives a light chuckle after a small pause, "Nazz … are you jealous at Rolf?".

Now hiding her red face into his back, she gives a small nod but doesn't say anything. Ever since Rolf appeared and became friends with her Kevin, the smaller ginger would hang out more with the other boy and the moment the boy declared Rolf as his best friend did hurt Nazz a lot. She feared that Kevin replaced her with Rolf and wanting to win her friend back, the blond started to make a diet and train a lot to lose weight. In hope that if she gets small and slim, Kevin would pay more attention to her and do all the sport games with her too.

"Nazz …".

"Kevin spends more time with Rolf! And even says that Rolf is his best friend! But I was his best friend first! Now Rolf is the one that Kevin plays with! He plays with me too but not as much as with Rolf!", the girl starts tearing up but denies her tears to fall.

"But Nazz, what does that have to do with your weight?".

"Well if I get small and slim, Kevin would play baseball and basketball with me too! He would also let me ride his bike together with him! A-And he would like me more as Rolf again!", pouting cutely at Mark.

That made the taller ginger laugh, "Oh girl, if you knew how much my little nephew cares about you. Rolf is a boy, of course Kevin will play differently with him and just because he said that the farmer's boy is his best friend doesn't mean you're not also his best friend", He liked Rolf, he was weird but a good kid and he saw how close he and his nephew were. In one side he can understand Kevin's excitement over a male best friend but on the other he understands Nazz's fears.

"S-Still … I want my Kevin back!".

"_Your Kevin huh? Man little champ, what kind of drama did you got yourself into?"_, laughing at that and nodding, "Don't worry to much about it", but he saw the girl was not really convinced with that and he sighs. Jumping a bit up and down to cheer the big girl up and as soon he hears her little giggles, he starts making helicopter sounds and starts running around. Just relieved to see and hear the girl laughing with the other kids cheering, Kevin of course being the loudest. Double D right besides the younger ginger and smiling at him, he felt content for the first time this month again. Being able to be close to Kevin and play with all the kids made him realize how much he really longed for that. Looking over at his best friend and watches Ed share the same level of happiness, though the freckled boy was always happy it was still nice for Double D to see that he was getting along with his dearest little sister, a rare moment for the siblings. Of course did the Ice blue eyed boy worry for his short best friend as well, but for once he wanted to be selfish and bask in the moment. The ski hat wearing boy turns his attention back to the red baseball cap wearing boy besides him and inching a bit closer towards him without being noticed. Well besides the always watchful and protective uncle, who notices anything that happens to be about his little Kevin. As he finished the round with Nazz he walked together with the girl towards the kids and put her down again, telling them that it was enough for today. He did notice the overly polite boy being very close to his nephew and giving him little glances, _"What the hell?"_, He wasn't sure what exactly was going on but for some reasons it made him uneasy. Pulling his nephew away from the other to get more distance between them and giving an confused Double D a little glare before turning all his attention towards Kevin. The black haired kid felt like he older ginger just slapped him and he found himself frowning, about to reach out and pull the oblivious boy back towards himself but the voice of Ed stopped him from doing so.

"Double D! Look, there is Eddy!", the tall boy points at the direction and everyone looks to see for themselves. Said boy didn't look up, to deep in his own thoughts to have heard Ed or seeing the many eyes on him through the chain link fence that is around the Playground.

Double D just standing there, not knowing how to react and nervously looking from his friend to Kevin and back to his friend again, taking how troubled his friend looks but also realizing what he was about to do. Deciding to take this opportunity to get away from this situation and distracting himself with his friends. Turning towards the kids, "It was quite enjoyable and we're very thankful for the exquisite you all allowed us to have with you, but I hope you'll accept our apologies for rushing off like that now. It seems Eddy needs us now, have a nice day!", and with that he runs after Ed who already sprinted towards their best friend. Leaving the other kids to watch them for a while, before continuing playing on the playground while Mark takes a break from entertaining the kids. The older ginger however stops his little nephew from joining the other for a moment and sits down on the grass, watching the Ed's talk for a while and then walk off together. Or better he watched Double D with a sudden dislike for the boy.

"Mark? What's wrong? You look angry", the boy asks in worry and confusion, making the older turn his attention back on him.

"Huh? Oh! Nah is nothing, don't worry. I was just thinking little champ", giving his nephew a sweet smile to ensure him and was relieved it worked.

"Oh! Okay, well I will join the others now!", but before the boy could even react the older stopped him him.

"Wait a moment!".

"Yes?", Kevin was a bit taken aback at his uncle sudden serious tone of voice.

"I want you to stay away from Eddward", this surprised Kevin even more, everyone calls the boy Double D and not by his actual name, only the boys parents do that. Mark also used to call the boy Double D, so this was weird for Kevin to suddenly hear him say the boy's actual name.

"But why?".

"I have a bad feeling about him, I just don't like the thought of you being close to him or he close to you".

Blinking at Mark in confusion, "But Double D is actually very nice, sure he helps Eddy with his stupid pranks but he gave me Tobi! So he can't be that bad … right?", he wasn't so sure about it anymore. If his own uncle, whom he looks up to, dislikes the polite Dork being close to him and the boy being very close friends with Eddy, maybe his uncle is right and he really should stay away from the kid.

"I just don't trust him being close to you. Please Kevin, just trust me here okay?", Mark isn't really sure but he has his suspicions that the pale boy might have some not so friendship related feelings for his little nephew and that's a thing he just can't stand, _"Ain't gonna let that kid poison Kevin's mind!"_. He is usually a very open person and doesn't care what people do with their life, but the thought of Kevin getting involved into something like that is just going to far for him and is way to close for his taste.

"Of course I trust you! I will promise to not be close to Double Dork!", holding out his little pinkie and with a chuckle Mark wraps his own much longer pinkie around the small one. Giving his uncle a big grin, before running towards the other kids and join them. A very happy Nazz immediately sticks close to Kevin, seemingly happy that Rolf went home before and now has the ginger for himself.

Watching the blond hugging and clinging to Kevin, Mark can't help but smile as the small boy blushes and nervously rubbing the back of his neck. Letting himself fall back onto the grass after a moment and just lay there, watching the sky and listening to the laughter of the children, _"Ah~ so peaceful! I really missed you Cul-De-Sac, I hope this week stays just as peaceful"_. The week was sunny for being in the third season of the year and peaceful, but not for Double D and Rolf. Kevin stayed true to his promise and stayed away from the nerdy boy, besides of yelling, cursing and threatening to beat him, Kevin didn't talked with the boy. The sudden new form of hostility was taking it's tool on Double D, who knew that Kevin was hostile towards him and his friends but they were still sometimes be able to a small conversation. Ed wasn't very helpful with finding out what exactly was going on since Kevin held no such extreme hostility towards him like he has with Eddy and newly Double D. Eddy wasn't a great help either, just using it to fuel his anger towards the ginger even more and simply deem Kevin as a jerk. Double D was not convinced that the boy's sudden change was on it's own, however since he can't find out what exactly happened, it was putting him on edge around the ginger and just made the nerd also keeping his distance.

While that was going on, Rolf had to deal with Chad. The older would randomly push him and insult him, it wouldn't be so bad if the steel blue eyed teen wouldn't also mess with his farm animals, especially his chickens. Laughing when he scares them off so much that they'll run off onto the open streets, making Rolf chase them. Chad laughing at the stressed and scared boy all the time, before simply walking off again. The fact that the little boys father has his own bigger farm, further outside Cul-De-Sac, to take care off and his mother working at Danny's meat shop, getting and preparing the supplies, means that Rolf sometimes on his own. Normally it doesn't bother him, he feels proud that his parents trust him so much, but with Chad around, it made the kid sometimes wish his parents were always there. Not wanting to bother his parents with his issues, Rolf rather went Kevin about it, which gave the ginger a little heart attack about knowing that the cruel man is back and now tormenting his friend. He was relieved to know that Chad would keep distance from him because of Mark, but seeing his friend suffering was troubling Kevin. He has told Rolf about what happened to him in the woods and both decided to keep it a secret instead of tempting the older young man to hurt them even worse. But not without a plan, Kevin would try to keep Mark and the other kids around to make Rolf less of a target, it seemed to be a good idea and working. Until the last two days of the weekend, several of Rolf's chickens disappeared, some could be found but most were lost forever and probably dead. They already knew who was responsible but the lack of proof and their fear of Chad, forced the two kid's to simply deal with the fact that they can't do anything about it. Poor Rolf was sadden and had to explain his father somehow why so many chickens are lost. It was safe to say that the older and very hairy farmer was not amused by that and no matter how much Kevin tried to comfort and cheer his friend up, it didn't work. Rolf felt like he disappointed his father and from that moment on he worked even harder on his farm to proof that he is just as good as his father. Kevin felt responsible somehow and wanted nothing more but to pay Chad back for what he has done, but he is just an eight years old boy and still to afraid. The only thing that cheered both boys up was once Eddy informed his two friends about his brother having left a day earlier and Ed informing everyone in Cul-De-sac, it brought great relief and peace for the Kevin and Rolf. The vocation is coming to an end and every kid in the neighborhood is trying to make the best out of it till the school begins in Monday again. Since Mark's plane goes in Sunday morning, Mark made a plan for him and Kevin to spend the whole Saturday together, but this time just the two of them. An excited little ginger couldn't wait and wakes up much earlier than usual on a Saturday, jumping out of the bed and stretching a bit.

"Today is going to be awesome!", Kevin opens a can of fish food and smiles at Tobi, who swims happily around his little castle, "Today I have Mark just for myself!". As soon the little boy pours a bit of the fish food into the water of the little fishbowl, the little clown fish stops and instantly goes after the bits that slowly sink to the sand bottom. Putting the fish food away again and giggling at his little friend, "Tobi, one day you'll be to fat to swim!". Watching the fish for a while and the smile slowly turns into a sad expression, remembering who exactly gave him his little friend and now he has to treat that same person like a stranger, "It's not fair for him, he is not that bad and he gave me you, Tobi! But I promised Mark ...". He feels like betraying his uncle for doubting him a little but even more for treating Double D like that. Sighing he turns towards and walks towards the window, The sun just came up and everything is silent. Kevin looks at the ski hat wearing boy's house and silently wishes he could at least show him somehow that he still appreciates the great gift he gave him over two years ago. Opening the the window for getting some fresh morning air, a soft wind blows into his face and through his room, moving the many papers on his desk. The ginger looks at the moving paper for a while until it stops, blinking at it before a bright smile appears on his now not so pale face, "That's it!", rushing over to his little orange and white striped, "Tobi I just got an great idea!". Said fish hides inside it's little castle from the sudden movement the boy made, but Kevin doesn't seem to mind as he continues telling the fish his idea, "I'll send a letter to Double D and tell him I still happy about having you! Maybe we will become pen-pals!". Rushing over to the desk and grabbing a few papers and his box of used crayons, "That way I don't break Marks promise and I don't have to ignore Double D! I'm so smart Tobi!", praising himself a bit for coming up with that idea, he starts writing the letter. It turns out to be rough for the little boy, since he is still not that good in writing and his grammar isn't so good.

'HELLo DoBLE D. is i KEviN. SoRRY FoR NoT TALk To YoU. MARk sAY NoT To. BuT I Fel BAD. THaNk YoU FoR ToBi sTiLL. ToBi is GrATE. I TAk GoOD cARE oF HE.'

It took a whole paper for Kevin and since the little boy sometimes still had trouble with the lowercase of the alphabet, he simply switches to the uppercase. Having each letter in a different color to make is look better and a little smiley with a red baseball cap to represent himself under the childish handwriting, the little ginger is satisfied with his work. Getting off the chair in front of the desk and walking over to his little clown fish, holding his letter proudly towards the fish, "Pretty choice, right?! I'm like a writer! Mommy said that I'm very talented!". Folding his letter and smiling at the fish, swimming carelessly around the water and sometimes stopping to stare at the boy, "Maybe a photo of you too! I'm sure he would like that, to know you're happy!", With that idea in mind he runs out of his room, towards the bedroom in which his parents are still deep asleep. Opening the door and looking at the sleeping couple, his father holding tightly onto his mother from behind and his mother peacefully snoring. John was a silent sleeper, while Kathleen not so much, they would often make fun of her for that and she would hit the two males on the back of their head as a warning. Giggling in excitement, Kevin pounces into them and makes John yelp in surprise, which made Kathleen growl in annoyance more as their son pouncing them. "Wake up! Wake up already!", bouncing on top of them and giggling at the different responses from the adults he gets.

John stretching and laughing at his way to active son and looking over at the alarm clock, "Kevin … it's half-past seven! Why are you already up?".

"Better question is why are you waking **us** up?!", a grumpy Kathleen says and pulls the blanket over her head.

"Sorry … I'm just so excited to spend the day with Mark and I need daddy to give me the camera", at that his mother huffs.

"Well babe, he only needs you for that", that made the blond man laugh and pulling his little eight years old son close into a hug.

"You heard the sleeping beauty! No waking up for her and we'll better let her be, before she'll turn into a dragon on us both!", making the boy laugh and Kevin pulls away to run out of the room and wait in the second floor hallway for his father. Said man picks up a with T-shirt and pulls it over his head, not wanting to run around in red boxer shorts only and closing the door behind him as he rejoins with his son in the hallway, Letting the dark orange haired woman to sleep.

Immediately hugging onto his fathers long and muscular legs as he jumps up and down eagerly, "Daddy! I need a camera!".

Ruffling his son's light orange and from sleep wild hair, "Sure, but why?".

"I want to take a picture of Tobi for a friend!".

"Um … okay", to tired to ask why and just thinking it's a thing the kids decided to do, "Sure, I'll get you the camera but how about after the day with Mark? I Think it would be more beneficial for you guys".

"What? Why?", tilting his head, Kevin looks up in confusion at his father.

Looking down into the big sea green eyes that his son got from him, he just realized that he said to much, _"Oh damn! It was suppose to be a surprise!"_, groaning and facepalming himself for having a non functional brain in the morning, "Uh … it's a surprise!".

"Surprise! I love surprises! What is it daddy?!".

"If I would tell you, then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore".

"Oh! Yes, you're right!".

"Anyway since we're up so early ... which is not very choice by the way! We should prepare the breakfast together".

"Okay!", and with that Kevin runs downstairs to the kitchen, with John following behind and both decided to make fry some bacon, toasting some toast and fried eggs. Kevin running around to set the table ready and then making a little basket filled with toast, but leaving for each of them two toast on the plates for them so John can put the fried eggs and bacon on top of them. After having the coffee and hot cocoa ready, Kevin had the important task to wake up his mother and John used that time to not only get some fresh air but also checking the mailbox. While Kevin drags a still tired but at least slightly less grumpy Kathleen to the dinning area, John reentered the house and joined them with two letters, the newspaper and some advertisements in his hands.

"Morning babe! You got a letter!", mumbling something snarky in return but taking the letter and opening it, while John opens the other letter.

Kevin watches them with his mouth full in curiosity and jumping a bit at the sudden outburst of his mother, "OH MY GOD! I MADE IT!". Cheering loudly while two sets of sea blue eyes stared at her in surprise.

"W-What?", John asks after he got over the shock from the sudden outburst.

"I got accepted! The job as voice actress! Remember?!"

"Oh … OH! That's choicelistic!", now John cheering with his wife, while Kevin stares now at both in confusion.

"I know right! This is my big chance to finally to become big!", giggling like a teenager, Kathleen could barely stop herself from jumping on the table and dance.

"I told you! I knew you would make it, you're my babe anyway", John grins at his wife and just enjoys how her amber brown eyes seem to sparkle in pure happiness.

"What's going on?", Kevin finally voices his confusion and earns a big smile from his mother.

"Kevin! Mommy is going to be a star!", Kathleen cheers loudly, making her husband chuckle.

"Not yet but soon. Mommy got a job as voice actress for TV shows. She went to a casting, remember? Now she got the letter that says that they want her for the job", John explains his son.

"Oh! That's choice!", Kevin smiles at them but that smile soon vanishes and his expression turns into one of worry.

"What's wrong little champ?", John asks his son as he watches the change and upon that Kathleen stops giggling and also looks at her son.

"It's in the city, right? But the city is far away from here … will that mean mommy will not be here anymore?", at that both his parents share a look and the excitement from before is away, realizing that their child has a point.

"I … I didn't thought of that before", Kathleen says after a long pause of awkward silence, looking down at her probably now cold breakfast.

"Neither did i", John watching his two beloved people suddenly looking afraid and depressed. Not be able to stand it, he frowns, "No! No unhappy faces here! This is not the end of the world!".

Looking up at her husband, "But John … what if I have to move there? What if other jobs from far away will come up and I have to leave you two? I don't want to leave you! I can't even stand the thought of not be able to kiss my baby boy goodnight! I don't want to go to bed, knowing you won't be there!".

"I don't want mommy to leave! I want my mommy to stay!", Kevin now close to tears at the mere thought of having his mother to leave him.

Chuckling at them, John just shakes his head, "Neither do I want to have my wife away, however nothing ever even said anything about you moving out or you leaving us! It's a bit further away, big deal! I'll just get you a car, that way you'll be able to drive to your job and be home a bit later as I am but still be back home! And if you'll have to leave for a job further away as the city, heck even leaving peach creek, then so be it. I think Kevin and I will be able to survive a few months without you babe. It's not like you'll have to leave for ever, you'll have your home here with us waiting for you.", reaching out for his two most important people hands and holding them tightly, "We'll always be together, even if one of us has to leave for a while. Mark has to leave for years and still we're doing fine. He'll send us letters, cards, calls us and in vocations he always visits us, so why should this be any different?".

"But … I don't like the idea to be far away from you both", Kathleen tells her husband and child. They were never separated, so for her the mere thought of a possibility in the near future to be separated is not a really comfortable thought.

"And giving up the chance of a career you always wanted? No! That's not something I will allow you to do! You deserve it and we'll handle it, like we always did handle all the other situations we had to face", sea green eyes look into amber brown eyes with a seriousness that gives like always his wife the strength to go on.

Kevin looking between them and wipes his eyes with his little hands, before giving his mother a look that is just as serious as his father's, "Y-Yes! Daddy is right! If you have to go away then I will wait with daddy here for you a-and you will come back and be a star! J-Just like Mark!".

Smiling at her and husband, Kathleen finally agrees, "Alright, but you two will behave! Just because I will be gone doesn't mean you can do whatever you want! Remember I will always find out and then you two will be in trouble! Especially you John! Don't want to return to a fat, dirty husband and a dump as home! And Kevin you will not slack in school!", glaring at them playfully.

"As you wish, oh mighty dragon of Dorn's!", John jokes, earning a slap on the back of his head and making Kevin laugh, "Ouch! Anyway, Why are we already talking about you leaving? It's just in the city, it's not like we can't reach it! Jeez, first we focus on getting you a car, so you'll be able to drive back and forth!", rubbing the back of his head as he says that.

"Oh! Okay … I guess we went a big to far into the future", Kathleen giggles and looks at her breakfast, "Great my bacon and egg is cold now ...".

"Ate mine warm! You should had eaten before opening the letters! You broke your own rules! I'm the only one sticking to them!", Kevin says proudly and points at his almost empty plate.

"Point taken … by the way! What was in your letter babe?", the woman remembers that her husband also had a letter. But seeing the now dark expression of her husband about that, made her already guess what it was about.

"My parents … again", and with that the topic was over and they all continued to eat their breakfast. Kevin knew better than to ask, the last time he asked he got no answer anyway and it turned very awkward. Luckily Kathleen changed the topic and it was soon forgotten.

She knew why John didn't like talking about his parents and despises the fact that they contacted him, how they always find out where they are is still making her uneasy. John's parents are very wealthy and their son was suppose to take over the families company, if it wasn't for John wanting to go to a normal high school he would had been send to a private school and would had never met Kathleen. That wasn't the problem, the fact he met Kathleen however was for his parents. Kathleen stayed with her father after the divorce of her parents, it was either her, Mark or nothing but drama and conflict. Mark was to young and clung to their mother, to take Mark away would had been cruel. So Kathleen, being the older and very protective of her little brother, took his place and left Peach Creek. Their father was cold man and a cheapskate, even thought they had enough money with him having well paid job. The other in high school tried to bully her for her cheap and used clothing or the fact she never had enough money to spend, but Kathleen wouldn't let that happen, being the proud and strong girl she always was she soon was respected and feared. Anyone who would even look at her weird soon had a fist to the face, boys or girls, it didn't matter. Kathleen always was and will be a short tempered and dangerous woman to mess around with, it was that trait that got John's attention. It took months to court Kathleen into dating him and he couldn't be more in love with the wild but lovely girl. While Kathleen's father couldn't care less, John's parents saw her as a disgrace and wanted their son to get rid of her, which he obviously didn't. At the end of the school year Kathleen got pregnant with Kevin and John's parents threaten him to disown him if she wouldn't not get an abortion. With that John and Kathleen ended up on their own, moving to Canada to get away from their family and having to deal with everything on their own with the young age of sixteen. Feeling left alone and betrayed by his parents, for John his parents are dead and not a topic to be talked about. But as Kevin turned four, sudden letters from his parents appeared, apologizing and wanting to meet Kevin and to this day John simply throws those letters away with the simple thought that if they didn't cared before and even disowned him just for his love and child, then there is no need for them to start caring at all. No matter how much Kathleen tries to change his mind, it's the only thing that John refuses to do for his wife. Kevin doesn't know the story, he just knows that his grandparents must had hurt his father so much that he won't get to meet them any time soon, the little ginger doesn't even know if he wants to meet them if they made his father so upset with just a letter.

After the breakfast they like always clean the dining room and kitchen, with Kathleen just relaxing on the couch and watching them with a grin. While both males complained once about her not helping, she simply responded, "I'm going to be a star! Stars don't do the cleaning, their servants do!", that earned her a big round of tickling from both her boys and a little lesson that she'll won't always will get away with that. Kevin went to get himself ready in the bath after they were done, no longer going together with his father anymore and making Kathleen happy with her having not to clean up the bath that much anymore, though it still makes John pout that his son no longer needs his help. Making his wife give him the same speech he gave her about not to be sad about Kevin growing up and it pleases her to be the one who has to remind him this time. While the little boy can take care of himself, it's his mother who trims his eyebrows, checks if he took the body lotion and combing his hair so he won't pull to much and damage his long and oft light orange hair. His mother takes great care of his appearance and teaches him to take care of it as well. Kathleen took great pride of her son's looks and she likes bragging about how handsome her son is, sometimes John has to hold her back so Kevin is be able to leave the house at all. Putting on his red baseball cap and putting his sky blue soft-shell jacket over his green turtle neck sweater that he started to wear the most. Dark blue jeans and dark red high top sneakers, his mother wrapping a thick red and white stripped scarf around his neck just to ensure her little boy is not going to be cold. Finally Kevin is allowed to leave the house and going to his uncle in the house besides him, but not before having his mother lecturing him about if they should go to the city as planned, that he'll stay close to his uncle and not talk with strangers even if they tell him their name. Closing the door behind himself and fast getting rid of the scarf, it's not that cold to need a scarf yet and the little ginger feels uncomfortable with it around his neck. Sighing at the feeling of having no longer the scarf on and walking over to his grandma's house, it's now quarter past twelve and most are still in their house but at least awake. Ringing the bell of his grandmother's front door and waiting, reading the metal plate over the doorbell that is displaying the family name of his grandmother and uncle. It always confused him at first why his grandmother and uncle have the last name Barr and he and his parents have the last name Dorn, of course until his mother explained to him that if you marry a person you love, you'll take on their last name sometimes. Mostly the woman take the man's last name, but not always, his parents married when he was only two years old and his mother told him how small the celebration was but how much she loved it. His father put all the pictures of them all together and made it form a big heart on the bedroom wall, he saw the pictures of the marriage in there too.

A light chuckle made him jump and pulled him out of his thoughts, looking up and being met with warm amber brown eyes, like his mother's and uncle's, "Hey there! I called you at least three times now but you seemed to be too deep in thought to hear me".

"Sorry grandma! I was thinking about daddy's and mommy's marriage pictures and how pretty they looked!".

"Well a simple white dress and a second hand suit doesn't make them as other marriage couples, but they're love for each other is what makes them look amazing even with those", the older ginger laughs and pats the boy's head, "Anyway, I'm sure you're here for Mark to spend the day with you! Let me get him real quick, that lazy boy is probably laying in his bed again and listening to that weird music of his … kids these days don't know what good music is anymore".

Kevin giggles at that and watches Madeleine going upstairs, waiting a bit till he hears steps going down the stairs and smiles at his uncle, "Mark! I can't wait and you?".

The older laughs, "Neither can I!", putting on his mid-length black leather jacket over his orange sweater and a pair of black sneakers with dark blue jeans. After he was ready he sees Kevin holding onto a scarf and chuckles, "Big sis made you wear that? Man, not even that cold yet".

"Yeah … that's why I took it off as soon I left the house", letting his uncle get the scarf and put it away, before stepping out of the house and closing the door behind himself. Kevin put his little hand into the bigger hand of his uncle and hold onto it, "Daddy told me about a surprise!".

"Man! John can't keep anything for himself! How much he told you?", Mark asks while holding onto his little nephews hand and walking together with him towards the bus stop.

Kevin saw the opportunity to trick his uncle into telling him and smirks up at the man, "Everything! He told me everything!".

Raising an eyebrow at the boy and knowing very well what the little ginger was trying to do, he gives a playful smirk back, "Oh! Well … then no need to tell you then if you know everything anyway".

They reached the bus stop and wait there for the bus to arrive, Kevin letting go of his uncles hand to cross his arms over his chest and is pouting, "So mean! I wanna know! Come on tell me! Please?", giving him one of his heart melting puppy eyes in hopes it'll sway his uncle but the man just laughs.

"I taught you that Kevin! You think I'll fall for that? Nope and it's an surprise!".

"Ugh … Fine, but it better be good! And not you giving me a wedgie again!".

That made the older laugh and remember how angry the little boy was with him and how embarrassed he was as the other kids laughed with Mark as well, "Oh yeah! Good times!".

"Not funny! Everyone was laughing at me, even Nazz!".

"Oh relax! Being laughed at in a silly situation is nothing bad and in the end they're still your friends right?".

"Y-Yes … but still!".

"Daww~ you're so adorable when you pout! who loves his uncle?", Now it was Mark's turn to make the puppy eyes and since he is more experimented as Kevin it works.

Sighing in defeat and hugging his uncles long legs, "I do!".

Smiling at the little boy and patting his head that just reached his bottom stomach, looking up to see that bus coming and pokes Kevin forehead, "The bus is coming!". Chuckling as Kevin grabs his hand again and staying close to him, waiting for the bus to stop in front of them and enter it at the front as soon the door opens. Mark telling Kevin to go and get them a nice free seat while he will pay for the tickets. Said little ginger hesitates before letting go of his uncles hand and slowly searching for free seats, his hands playing with the end of his jacket nervously as he passes a few people. The bus wasn't full but Kevin was still not used to drive the bus since his father has a car and his mother rarely needs to take the bus because either her friends or John drive them or they'll take a taxi. It's his third time taking the bus and keeps looking back to see if Mark is still there. After having paid and the bus doors closing, Mark looks up and sees his little cute nephew nervously taking step after step and each fifth step he'll look back to his uncle as if he would suddenly disappear if he looks away for to long. Chuckling at the boy and also seeing that Kevin's adorable behavior got the attention from other in the bus, smiling at the boy and just as mark was about to help his little nephew out, a young girl stands up and walks over to Kevin.

"Hey little boy, you can have my seats", the girl smiles at the little ginger and points at the two seats that are free now thanks to her.

"I … t-thank you", rushing over to the seats and literally letting himself fall onto them. The girl giggles at the boys action and looking up to see Mark walking over to her, "Let me guess, you're his brother?".

"Close but he is my nephew", smiling at the girl and dares his eyes to wander over her petite and small form. She only reached his shoulder and he is one of the short guys in his college and baseball team, most guys are at least a head taller than him. Her dark skin shows that her heritage is Afro American, but that brings out her wide and open baby blue eyes even more, blue cute glasses that give her a bit of a nerd like look. A round face and high cheekbones is framed by long black bangs that give off a slight curl towards her face. Her shoulder long black hair shines like black Jade in the sun. No make up is used or even needed, She doesn't need to styles herself at all in Marks opinion, because for him she looks like an angel. A simple blue dress with thick black tights and a black simple cardigan over it, with classic black ballet shoes for the street. She got full lips that she covers with lip-gloss, giving them a tint of red and those same lips, from which Mark seem not be able to look away from, are tilted upwards into a sweet and heart melting smile. For the older ginger there was never a girl as pretty and cute as her, he really wants to get to know her. But to be able to know her he has to listen to her soft voice that he absolutely doesn't mind listening to for all eternity.

"Oh! Well I was close enough!", she also took a good look at the young man before her and is not displeased if what she sees. Not to tall, so she doesn't feel so tiny as she usually feels with other. muscular which proofs he is fit and does some kind of sport, but not to much that he could crush her by accident when he would hug her. Broad shoulder and chest, seem to be nice to just lean onto and feel so protected while relaxing against his frame. A long lean face with long dark orange bangs falling over his forehead, he has shoulder long hair but pulled back into a low little pony tail on the back of his head. Warm amber eyes that could to draw her in and no freckles at all, Which surprised her already with the little boy. Both are gingers but have no single freckle on their skin and really pale aren't they either, _"If I can't even trust stereotypes then what can I trust?! Not even his voice is weird or anything, actually is so … deep and smooth"_, realizing what exactly she was doing and thinking, she looks away from him and seem to find her little feet more interesting at the moment, _"As if I had a chance! A little nerd like me … I'm nothing like the girls he probably has all over him daily"_. For the first time she wishes she had styled herself up a bit more.

His booming but comfortable laugh made her look up again, "It's the hair right? I get a lot confused as my sisters twin brother and after she came here with her husband and little Kevin over there, A lot of people thought we all three are siblings. It's a curse and a gift to have gotten your looks from your mother".

"You all gingers?! Wow your mother must have some very strong genes!".

"You don't even know half of it! My father has black hair! Black! And still we turned out ginger! Well alright my sister's husband is a blond, which already made Kevin destined to become a ginger. The only thing he got from his father is the more round face, strong chin and those sea green eyes, so at least his genes put on a fight", both laugh at that and Kevin, who sits close to the window, just watches them.

"Interesting, you think your genes would defeat mine?", just after she said that, she realized how weird that sounds and blushes, which is harder to see on her as on other but still easy to notice, _"Way to go! Oh my god, I just met that guy and I already end up sounding like a creeper!"_.

Mark also blushing at that statement but chuckling softly, "I don't think so but we'll have to find out eh? But please not to soon, at least invite me on a date first".

Her blush turns darker but a small smile appears on her sweet face and she looks up at him, "Well I wouldn't want it any other way and I wouldn't mind a date as well".

"Are you asking me out? At least I should know your name or do you prefer is I would come up with a name for you?", rubbing the back of his neck and grinning shyly at the girl.

"My name is Candace Parker and yes, I'm kinda asking you out", she also grins at him and plays with her hair shyly.

"I'm Mark Barr and yes I would love to go out with a lovely girl like you", Both jumped a bit after hearing how several people in the bus apparently watched and now calling them 'cute' or 'adorable', some are just go with a simple 'daww'. After a moment of shy and awkward looking away and blushing, Mark asks Candace to take the seat besides Kevin. Kevin would just stare at the girl nervously, not really appreciating that a stranger was sitting besides him and especially after his mother told him not to come in contact with strangers. Seeing how uneasy his nephew was, Mark tries to calm him down, "Relax Kevin, I'm here and as long I'm here nothing is going to happen to you. Trust me, I'll protect you, pretty girl or not".

It calmed the little ginger down a bit but he would still look at the girl besides him in curiosity, which made Candace smile and she decides to pay the cute little mini Mark some attention as well, "Well as you now know I'm Candace, I'm eighteen years old and I live in the main city of Peach Creek and you?".

Hesitating a bit before responding, "I'm Kevin Dorn, Mark is my uncle and we live in the Cul-De-Sac. I'm eight years old already … I got a bike ...", Kevin shyly tells her while pulling at the sides of his jeans.

"Nice to meet you Kevin! Cul-De-Sac huh? Well that is a great and known neighborhood, but also a bit far away from the city, I guess you two are going shopping?", Candace asks and looks at the older ginger.

"Yeps, it's my last day of vocation here and I wanted to spend it with Kevin. Tomorrow morning I have to fly back to New Jersey, I'm going on the Princeton University, it's my second year there now", Mark informs her and he gives her a sad smile.

But Candace just smiles at him and winks, "Oh you miss me already? Well maybe you should look a bit more around the college and you might find someone who just looks like me!".

"Wait! Are you saying what I think you're saying? Are you serious?", big amber brown eyes stare at her in surprise.

"Yeps, started this summer on the Princeton University as well! Though I never saw you there, if I knew a cute young man like you is on the same college then maybe I would had tried to look for you", Candace giggles at the big grin that appeared on the taller ginger's face.

"Choice! So you'll be going back tomorrow as well?".

"No, I'll stay for two days longer here because my mother had a little accident last week and got a herniated disc, nothing serious luckily and she was already send home. But still I'm staying for two days longer to make sure she is alright, even if she is nagging at me not going back to college", she giggles at the last part and shakes her head at her mother's way to proud behavior.

"Oh well I hope she get's well again", Mark tells her and Kevin just nods in agreement.

"Ah! She is a tough woman! I think the hardest task for me is trying to keep her relaxed, she can't stand laying or sitting down for to long. She always needs to do something! She drives me crazy sometimes, but I guess that was always something I admired about her".

"Yeah my sister got my admiration as well, even thought she can be pretty annoying. I know what you mean", he nods towards the little bag she is holding, "I guess this is the medicine?".

"Yes, my mother's doctor is a bit further away as you can guess, that is one of the reasons I'm allowed to stay a bit longer", Marks nods at her and Kevin started to ask her questions about what exactly a herniated disc is, pronouncing the word wrong but in such a cute way that Candace had to stop herself from just hugging the little boy. They three talked for a while till Candace had to get out of the bus and the two boys had to wait for two more stops before getting out themselves. Exchanging their numbers, Mark and Candace promised each other to go on a date back in New Jersey. Kevin uses the chance to tease his uncle about Candace just as much as he teased him about Nazz, earning him two spit covered fingers into his ears.

"Ew! You're disgusting!", rubbing his ears and glaring at his uncle.

"Yes but I got a date! And you tried to tease me! ME! The one who taught you what teasing even is! You've gotten cocky young student!", laughing as the boy sticks his tongue out at him and gets up as the bus stops at their destination, "We're here! Come on slowpoke!".

"W-Wait for me!", Kevin yelps as he rushes after his uncle out of the bus and grabbing his hand again, not wanting to lose him. With big eyes he looks around at the tall buildings, the many cars and people. Cuddling closer to his uncle and tightening the hold onto his hand, he doesn't want to get lost and be alone.

Giving his little nephews hand a little squeeze to comfort him and they both start walking down the street with the mass of people, making sure he won't lose Kevin, Mark wouldn't let go for even a second the little boy and is watching him closely. He himself was a lot of time in the big shopping part of the main city with his friends, but Kevin was only two times here with his mother and not for too long. So the little boy watches everything with great curiosity and ask a lot of questions, which Mark answers him as good as he can. They walk towards a large building with a big neon sign saying 'Cosmic Battle!', it's like a indoors amusement park but better because it stays forever and is one of the most promiment centers in Peach creek, making over millions in just a month. Mark went there a lot with his friends after school and today he wants to go there with Kevin, wanting to blow away the boys mind by spoiling him with as much fun a kid can handle. Going through the big glass doors with a lot of teenagers and kids walking in and out, all laughing and making Kevin eager to play himself. Everything was in a neon, there were many arcades already and comic like style, Kevin felt like going to a great space adventure by just standing in the entrance hall. Still not letting go of his uncle he follows him to a long but fast line, it didn't long till they got to the checkout. They got to pick how long and which team, it is quarter past one and Mark decides that they can stay for four hours inclusive lunch and the other areas open for them. The center has a bowling area a floor lower, the second and third floor has the laser tag area, the fourth floor has a carnival like area with a large indoor climbing wall, bouncy castle, giant inflatable slides and many other attractions. They're team red and after Mark payed the three hundred and ninety five dollars, which is money that was put together from the family. After getting the tickets and Mark mumbling about how expensive they've gotten, The two gingers go to one of the three elevators that are decorated like spaceships. Waiting for the elevator, Kevin looks around a bit more and spots the hallway more further up besides the elevators, it was for the stairs that go up and down. Poking his uncle on the side, the little boy asks why they don't just take the stairs, but Mark explains that it's very long since the walls, ceilings and floors have very thick metal plates for safety and to not disturb each others floors. Explaining the little ginger that the metal plates are so thick and strong that they on their own could take over an half of the stairs that you would normally need to go from floor to floor, Kevin being interested in that asks of course more about how the building works. Mark while explaining everything to the little boy, tugs Kevin along with him as the elevator arrived and pulling the boy even closer to himself as the elevator was filled to the maximum weight it can carry. Finally on the third floor and be able to leave the elevator, they go to the checkout and Mark was dealing with everything while Kevin is getting more and more eager to start playing, especially seeing the many other that get their team suites put on. The blue team starts on the second floor, while the red team starts on the third, to win the game each team has to exit of the opponents entrance with at least one life still intact. After Mark got everything and put their things into a locker there, He and Kevin got their red glowing chest armor suit put on, the men doing that have a suit as well but in green to identify them from the players. The man that took care of Kevin was tall and very muscular, but his smile and hazelnut brown eyes were very warm and soft. He explained Kevin how his suit works with great patience and made sure the boy will be alright, however after asking the name of the ginger, to program it into the suite for safety reason if the boy get's lost, the man with light brown hair pauses for a moment.

"Wait … I know that name from somewhere. Where you here before?", the deep and calm voice of the man was filled with curiosity and the tall man was staring at the little boy as if he was trying to remember him.

Kevin shakes his head, "No, it's my very first time here! My uncle Mark brought me here!", pointing at the taller ginger who was happily talking with the other man who took care of his armor, they seemed to know each other.

"Holy-! Mark!", the man suddenly shouts as he finally took a better look at the older ginger and said man looks over just to give the man a wide grin.

"Jeff! Oh my god! How are you, you dork?", both men clap each other on the back and laugh.

"I'm fine! Man, so long ago since I saw you here! I started to worry our little ginger got over his laser tag obsession and moved on! Where the hell were you? It just wasn't the same without you and the other pals of yours!", ruffling the shorter man's dark orange hair hair.

Slapping the older man's hand away in a playful manner, "College happened! I'm going to the Princeton University in New Jersey and in the vocations I rather chill out at my place with my family", Mark explained his friend, who puts his hands onto his hips.

"Could had told us something! We missed you, right Charles?!", the more slim and pale man with the glasses, who was with Mark before, nods at his words as he joined them and Jeff looks down at the little ginger, "So this is the famous Kevin? Boy, does he look like a mini version of you, just more adorable!".

Watching how Jeff ruffles his confused nephew's hair, "Yeps, that's my little nephew and what you mean 'just more adorable'! Bitch please, I'm cute as fuck!", upon using those cuss words he gets hit on the head from Charles.

The blond haired man glares at Mark and then points at Kevin, "You've got a kid with you, idiot! So tone down the cussing here, will you!", Mark rolls his eyes at how motherly his taller but more slim friend was when it came to kids.

"Sorry, mother. It won't happen again", Jeff laughs at Mark's remark.

"Comes with the job. Being surrounded by kids all day long and having to take care of them, makes you a little protective of the little champs here and even more when your own kids start going here", the man explains.

"My little princess is just about the same as Kevin there! I'm sure he and Nicole world look adorable together!", Charles smiles at Kevin as Jeff payed the little boy most of his attention.

"I know right, but I think my little Jacqueline would look better with him", both men start arguing which daughter of theirs would look better with Kevin, while the boy was just staring at the whole scene before yelling loudly.

"No! But I only like Nazz!", making both stop and look at him before sighing softly.

Mark just chuckles at the whole scene and how weird his friends behaved around his little nephew, "Sorry, he is already taken and I don't think it works just as easy like that anyway".

Jeff sighs again, "Well at least I tried to avoid the teenage phase in the future and she is already starting with all the teenage girl stuff!".

Charles nods in agreement and sympathy, "I really wanna skip that part as well and not be surprised by some 'bad boy' all over my princess!".

Kevin being busy poking the glowing hearts on his suit to bother understanding what those men are talking about and why they want him to be with their daughters, jumped a little in surprise as Mark pats his head, which no longer has the red baseball hat on it since it got locked away before it could get lost, "Well, while you two comfort each other, how about you'll let us get started here. I paid a lot to give Kevin a good time before I go tomorrow!".

Jeff then gave them his attention again and walks over to the big guns holder closet to get them the guns and Charles leads them to the entrance of the laser tag halls, "Right! Sorry about that, don't wanna keep you two waiting huh?", the sea blue eyed man with the glasses smiles at them and as soon as Jeff came back with the laser guns, he gets out a card and holds it before the scanner.

Jeff giving them the guns after he activated them and gives Mark a friendly slap on the back,"Here you go! Oh and Mark?".

"Yes?"

"Come over sometimes and hang out with us, for old times sake!".

Grinning at the tanned man and nods, "Sure will do! And I'm pretty sure you'll will see Kevin here more in the future!".

"Hope so! Now off with you two! We got a job to do here and you're distracting us!", Joking a bit and both men wave after them as the two gingers enter the game. Kevin waving back at them till the door closes and the game begins.

It took some time for Kevin to get a hang on everything, but with the help of Mark he did well enough. Though he got shot a lot more than his uncle and had to reload his hearts on the parts that had a big neon heart sign with 'Health Shoot' in big bolt letters on them, which were hard to reach or meant a lot of backtracking. But the little boy enjoyed it a lot and with Mark by his side he felt pretty save. It didn't took long till the little ginger surprised his uncle, getting really sneaky with making traps and plans to take out the opponent. Mark started calling him little soldier with the way Kevin behaved and shouting orders even at the older man, the little boy was also very ruthless and wouldn't give anyone a change to even escape his wrath. Not that Mark was any better, his inner child took over pretty fast and he would use his height as advantage with putting his little nephew on his shoulder to make him look over some lower walls and have him surprise many of their opponents on the other side. However their opponents were just as clever and good, so some close deaths couldn't be avoided. They all had fun and felt like being in a real space adventure, forgetting reality for a while, until Kevin got hungry and exhausted.

"Mark! I'm hungry and I need a break!", wiping the sweat from his forehead with the long sleeve of his sweater and showing dark, wet parts as he lifts the arm.

"Yeah, I'm getting hungry too and a break sounds really awesome now", The older agrees. Being on the second floor already, they decided to exit there. Going to one of the supervisors, that wear the glowing green armor to be not confused as a player, that also walk around to keep everything in check and tell them that they want to take a break. The friendly brunette woman leads them to the exit and having two of her colleague help them out of their suits. Having to their belonging upstairs, they take the elevator, pick up their stuff and back to the elevator to get to the ground floor. Kevin was already starting to whine about not wanting to run around so much anymore, but on the ground floor Mark told him that they only have to go to the hall behind the big spaceship like doors and they'll be able to sit and eat. Holding onto his uncles hand and let him lead him through the big spaceship metal door and stood at the entrance of a wide area that has many restaurants from other companies like McDonald's, subway and other that work together with the huge and popular amusement center, the WC rooms for each gender and of course a lot of snack bars. The room is filled with children and their parents and many teenager groups that hang out there just like Mark did in his high school times. Of course like most kids, Kevin wants to go to the McDonald's for a Happy Meal, which has a toy. It's rare that the little ginger gets some McDonald's and will use any opportunity presented to him to get his hands on a Happy Meal, filled or not. Mark tells Kevin to save them a seat, while he gets them their food, eagerly the boy rushes off to get them some free seats. After a while he finds a free seat at the corner and sits onto the chair, sighing happily as he was finally be able to sit and relax. It took a while for Mark to order because of the long lines and also a while till he found the red baseball cap of his nephew, taking a seat himself in front of the table and his nephew and put the Happy Meal package, with a cheeseburger, little fries and a Pixar toy inside it, in front of the boy with a chocolate milkshake. For himself he got big Mac, big fries and a strawberry milkshake, he looks over at Kevin and smiles as the little boy plays with his toy while eating peacefully. Happy that his little nephew is having the time of his life, he starts eating as well, sighing at the taste and mumbling to himself how much he missed eating some nice McDonald's food, even better if they don't have to pay for it anymore since it was in the price of the center as well.

Kevin looking across the table at his uncle and stares with great curiosity at the big burger, "What is that? Is is yummy? It's so much bigger as mine ...".

chuckling softly as the the boy compares their burgers and starts pouting, "It's a big Mac, not a Happy Meal burger because it's so big and most kids don't eat that much. You wanna try?", holding out the burger towards his nephew, who nods and opens his little mouth as wide as possible to take a bite. Not really managing all if it but still getting a lot to chew on, he kicks his legs under the table happily.

"It's really yummy! But so big! I can't even bite into it like you can!", Mark laughs and nods, before taking another bite of it himself with Kevin watching in awe how big his uncle's mouth is and how much he can bite off the big burger.

"It's made for big guys like me! One day you'll be able to eat it just as easy as I can".

"I will be as big as you?!".

"... well let's hope you'll be bigger than me", but as he looks at Kevin's form and realizes that for his age he is still pretty small in comparison to other boys, _"Doesn't look like you'll be very tall. The curse of the Barr's, where almost every dude in this world is a head taller than you"_.

"I think I will be taller than you, because daddy is taller than you! I'm sure I will be just as big as daddy! Just wait and see!", the little ginger says proudly while stuffing his mouth with fries.

"Sure ...", shaking his head in amusement and decides to not crush the boy's hopes.

After eating and just relaxing for a while, they had an hour left till their four hours are up. Mark knowing that laser tag would take to long and an hour being to short, he decides to go to the the fourth floor. After another elevator ride, they got to the carnival like area with many kids on the different attractions. The area was more for children as for older guys like Mark, so he just followed Kevin around and watch over him, letting the kid have his hour of fun with the other kids. It didn't took Kevin long to get along with the other kids and have them follow him or want him to follow them, the little ginger went on everything he could for the short time they had left and always waving at his uncle who was always close by to keep an eye on him. Turns out that Kevin really loves the bouncy castle and the giant inflatable slides, staying on them for the longest time and laughing happily. But the hour was almost over and Mark had to call Kevin, telling him that they'll have to leave now. Pouting a bit the boy just nods and waves at his other new friends, who wave back and call their 'byes' out to Kevin. One boy, with big round chartreuse green eyes and blond hair with is short on the sides but have long bangs almost covering his slim trimmed eyebrows, ran up to the little ginger. He is a bit taller than Kevin but at the same age, his slightly more pale skin as the baseball hat wearing boy has cute little freckles all over it and he is wearing a red hoodie shirt. The boy became really close with Kevin during the time, hardly had left the boys side and always holding onto his hand or arm during the time they played. He was hugging his nephew, which Mark hadn't thought much of it seeing how the two kids became great friends in the short time, but his smile soon was replaced with a frown when the boy did something that surprised both gingers. He kissed Kevin on the cheek and pulled his hoodie over his head, blushing and getting all shy around the smaller boy. Before Kevin could even react to anything of that, Mark pulled his nephew away from the boy and angry start to walk off, not letting go of Kevin. While the little boy was to busy looking back at the other boy who just kissed him and not realizing he was blushing a bit, Mark just got more irritated at the whole situation and wanted nothing more than to leave the place. Touching his left cheek and still feeling the slim slips of the boy on it, Kevin was really confused about the whole deal. Look up at the older with big sea green eyes and squeezing the bigger hand a bit to get his uncles attention.

"What was that and why he did that, Mark?".

"Just forget about it and stay away from that kid from now on!", and with that Mark made it clear that he does not want to continue talking about it.

"Okay ...", was all Kevin could say, _"First Double D and now Nathan too? Why?"_.

The whole time there was a very awkward silence between the two, Mark got everything done at the checkout and both exit the huge structure. Looking down at the quiet boy who holds onto his hand and stays close, Mark couldn't help but feel bad for letting his emotions control him like that and making his little nephew unhappy. While walking down the street and through the mass of people, the older sees an ice cream cafe and nudges Kevin a bit.

As the little boy looks up, he nods towards the ice cream cafe, "Want some? I could go for some nice ice cream and you?".

Whatever happened before was forgotten and replaced with an eager want of ice cream, "Yes! I will have chocolate and hazelnut!", cheering loudly and pulling the older after him eagerly as he started to rush towards the cafe.

"Alright, alright! Jeez, don't pull out my arm! I need it to play baseball!", laughing at his nephew and is happy that mood had changed back to a relaxed and happy one.

After having gotten Kevin his ice cream and himself just one with coconut flavor, they both continued down the street, holding hands and happily lapping away on their ice cream. As they walked past the bus stop, Kevin was a bit confused of where exactly they're going or if his uncle just missed the bus stop. But the older just smiled and told him that they still have to get something important, shrugging at that Kevin gave is ice cream all his attention again. It didn't took long and they stopped, making the little boy look up and see they're in front of a pet store that only seems to have fishes. Putting one and one together, the little ginger realizes what is going on pretty easily.

"We're going to get Tobi a friend!", smiling brightly at his uncle who gives him a nod and that was all Kevin waited for, letting go of the older man's hand and running inside the store. Looking around to see where the clown fishes are kept and doesn't even notice that Mark was right besides him, searching as well. "There! Let's get Tobi a nice friend!", pointing towards the big tank at the wall and pulling Mark with him as he rushes towards it.

Literally pressing his face against the glass to find the prettiest one for his Tobi, the older ginger just chuckles and shakes his head, _"How can one get so excited over a fish?"_. Helping him looking for a nice fish, a cough startles them both and with big eyes they look at the direction where it came from.

A short old lady waves at them, a small smile on a round and wrinkled face. Long, open and curly gray hair reaching her shoulder and framing her little head. She was leaning slightly towards for support on the black cane, which has typical curved metal handle, "Need some help young men?".

Both nodding slowly, but for some reason this small, petite old lady does not look like someone who would take kindly to it if you would not give her a vocal answer, "Y-Yes ma'am", they both said at the same time.

"Oh what polite young men! Now how could I help you, young gentlemen?", giving them a sweet smile, but it's not fooling them that this woman could still beat them up with that cane with no problem. Something about her demanded respect, or maybe they were just both raised to respect people of her age.

"I have a clown fish! His name is Tobi! He needs a friend!", Kevin informs the old lady and steps back as she walks in front of the fish tank filled with clown fishes and some other fishes.

Both boys wait and watch the woman as she searches for a fitting clown fish and hums to herself, "You want a lady friend for your Tobi or a male companion?".

"I think Tobi needs a girl like Nazz!".

Looking over her shoulder to the little boy and gives him a amused smile, "Oh! Is that Nazz lady very important for you and you don't want Tobi not to have a nice young lady like you have?".

Blushing at that the boy looks to the ground and nods, "Well kinda ...", Mark just giggles amused by that and nudges the smaller one playfully.

"Very well then, I will pick the prettiest clown fish lady for your little friend. But do you have a fish tank big enough for them?".

Mark this time replies for his nephew, "Just a small fishbowl, but since they hardly will … stay not active, I think we need a bigger place to put them. However we need to know how big exactly because his room isn't that big".

"How old is Tobi and do you even want them to lay eggs?".

"Tobi is two! He was very tiny when I got him and now he is a lot bigger!", informing the woman proudly before asking, "They can make eggs? Like chicken?".

"Kinda but not exactly like chicken eggs, anyway no we don't really want them to lay said eggs, but that's not really stopping them right?", Mark asks the older woman, not really a fish expert because he never took interest in fishes besides eating them.

"Well Tobi is already two years old if not a few weeks older because he changed his gender to male already, but that can also just mean that he was in a tank full of clown fish like these here. If you don't really want them to breed then a much bigger tank is not needed, I think a have big enough fish bowls that should be enough for them. Clown fishes don't always mate just because they have the opposite gender and especially if they don't have enough space", the woman informs them and then walks over to a different tank that is filled with more anemones and corals as fish, "A nice little anemone that they can use for refuge", She searches through the tank till she found a little one that she added not long time ago and isn't attached to a rock, "Perfect, I will get a bag for that and you-", she looks at Kevin who was following and listening to her in great interest, "You will get to hand feed the clown fishes and that way you'll be able to choose better, the girls are the bigger ones by the way!".

"Oh wow! Really? I can give them their food with my hand?", the little boy already got excited and giggling happily, "So choice!".

"Yes, yes but first we need to get a bigger fish bowl for you and the anemone ready!".

"But why we need a aneemona?".

"Anemone, not aneemona and that's what clown fishes use as a house! They feel very happy there!".

Kevin pouts at that, "But Tobi has little castle as home already and a castle is way cooler as a … that!", points at the tank with the many anemones.

The old lady laughs at that, "Oh I'm sure Tobi loves his little castle, but I don't think Tobi would like to share his castle with his new lady friend right?".

"No … Tobi wouldn't like that, it's his castle and he doesn't know her yet!".

"See? But she needs a home too, of course not a castle like Tobi!".

"Why not?".

"Because Tobi obviously is the prince of the fish bowl! Only a prince has a castle! We have yet to know if she is a princess and if she is, then Tobi will invite her into his castle!", the old lady tries to convince Kevin and it worked.

"Oh yes! Of course, I knew that … I was just testing you!".

The older woman chuckles and went to a small room at the end of the store and came back with two big bags, "Young man? Would you mind getting me the little stool over there?", Mark nods and get's her the stool, placing it in front of the tank where she told him to put it and both boys watch as the old lady leans her walking cane against the tank, before getting onto the stool. Kevin watched her with curiosity as he sees the old lady opening the bag and sinks it into the water, the little fishes went to hide and because the tank was pretty low she had no problem reaching the small anemone in the corner. A gentle hold by the foot, a little touch there and the old lady moved the anemone into the bag with such an ease, that made Kevin stare at her like she just performed a magic trick. Fulling the bag filled with water and the anemone out and closing it, "There we go! A nice little anemone!", getting down the stool again and holding out the bag.

Mark takes the bag and gives it a weird look with Kevin, "Does it need anything?".

Getting her cane again and making her way over to the clown fish tank, "some plankton you should put into the the water sometimes and hand feeding it bits of shrimps, most work do the clown fish and it can take care of itself as well. Sure it can be that in a new water it will have some little trouble but most of the times it'll do just fine, they don't cost that much here anyway, so you can always get a new one and try again. Stool please!".

"O-Oh … okay", Mark takes the stool with his free hand and places it like before for the old lady in front of the tank.

"Now little man, get on the stool!", the little boy obeys and gets on the stool, the old lady puts some fish food into his hand, "Now let your hand slowly sink into the water and let the fishes eat from it", nodding at the elderly lady and does as he was told, it didn't took long before almost all the clown fishes rush towards his hand and eat from it.

"Look Mark! They're eating from my hand!", Kevin's sea green eyes stare at the fishes in awe and he giggles happily.

"Choice! You're like Aquaman, just more cool!", Mark chuckles at the boys excitement and the gray haired woman smiles at how happy such a simple thing can make the boy.

"Now, remember you're searching for a pretty little lady for Tobi!".

Nodding at her words and look at the bigger ones for a girl just as amazing as Nazz is for him, after a while he sees a big, light orange clown fish that not only eats the most from his hand but also tends to swim so close to his hand that it almost looks like she is cuddling it, "I like the one that seems to like cuddling my hand! Nazz hugs and cuddles me too! I like that and I'm sure Tobi would like that too!".

Taking a look for herself and sees which one he meant, "Alright then, you'll keep an eye on her with me! get down, so I can catch her for you!".

Doing as he was told he steps down the stool and watches his clown fish lady, her light orange color and bigger frame made it easier to pick her out from the other. Like before she put the cane against the tank, got onto the stool and slowly sink the bag into the water, but she also picks up a fish safety net to help her getting the fish. Once the fish was captured in the bag, Kevin cheered happily and took the bag with the little female clown fish in it. Mark places the stool back were it was before and the old lady leads them to the different fish bowls and tanks she has. Looking at the many different ones, Kevin sees how nice decorated those are for the fishes and looks at the at the fish in his bag, _"I need to make yours and Tobi's bowl just as pretty! Just one castle and sea flower thingy is not enough!"_.

"Ah! That one should be nice!", the woman's comment made both gingers look at her and the giant fish bowl she is checking, "What do you think? A twelve gallon bowl should be enough, especially for two clown fishes. Many use just a 10 gallon tank for breeding and it works just fine, clown fishes prefer smaller ones anyway since they don't really swim a lot anyway and with a nice host like this pretty anemone they'll be more than happy. It got an aquarium system built onto the bottom and sides. With a little decoration and a lot of love from their owner, they'll be happy little clown fishes!".

"It's pretty … big", Mark says and sighs, knowing that it will also be heavy, "But I think it just fits on the wooden dresser in your room, of not we'll get you a table just for it!", looking at the little boy and giving him a smile to ensure him.

"Alright! But will you be able to carry it all the way back home?".

"Oh hell no! I'm gonna call your father to get his butt over here and help us out here! I don't think I got enough money left for all that anyway!", fishing for his smartphone in his pockets and grins then he pulls it out, "I'm gonna give him a call and inform him about our situations! You better appreciate this spoiling we do for you!", and with that he starts calling John.

While Mark is busy with that, the old lady leads Kevin to the many sea plant that he could use as decoration, also some corals for more home like feeling for his little fishes and a lot of other things he could use for the bowl. Listening to the old lady as she explains to him what use each item has and how to make sure his Tobi and new girlfriend are happy. Mark later joined them and told the woman that Kevin's father will arrive in a few minutes to help them out and pick them up, which ended up with Mark helping out the older woman with carrying the big bowl around and having her and Kevin preparing the bowl already. Putting the right sand into it and picking out the different corals and sea plants for it, the older ginger felt like the man that carries the shopping bags while being dragged around like a servant. But if he dared to complain the woman would just send one of her glares at him and it shuts him up immediately. After thirty minutes, John finally arrives and Mark wanted to kiss the man for finally being there to safe him.

"Oh my god! John! My hero! Please safe me!", Mark yells dramatic at the man and said man simply stares at him.

"What the hell?", laughing at the poor younger man who was carrying a giant bowl around with several different water bags in it, while Kevin was peacefully and gently carrying just one bag with a fish in it. Mark looked so exhausted and unhappy, John almost felt bad for the ginger, "Well I guess we'll take all of that?".

The older woman just smiled at the taller blond and nods at him, "Well hello there John! Handsome as always!", that surprised the both gingers in the store and look from John to her and back to the blond.

"Hey Sophia! Still making your customers do all the work and command them around I see?", laughing with the woman who went over to him to give him a light hug.

"If I would had known that those two are your boys, I might had gone a bit more easy on them!".

"Oh please! You and going easy on anyone?".

"Um … John! A little help here!", Mark finally interrupts them and nods towards the big bowl he is holding.

"Oh right sorry! Just go ahead and put it into the car, I parked just outside the door. Which reminds me, we can't stay for to long because I'm not suppose to park there!", John tells them and Mark hurried outside to do as told, just wanting to get rid of the heavy bowl and get home already.

Kevin holds out his new clown fish and smiles brightly, "Look daddy! Isn't she pretty?".

Smiling at his son, "Yes she is! I'm sure Tobi will think the same, now join Mark in the car while I pay for everything! I really don't want to get into trouble for parking there!".

Sophia and Mark watch the little boy carefully carrying the bag to not scare his little fish and walking out of the store, but not before saying goodbye to the old lady, "Cute boys you have there! Kevin is such a sweetheart and Mark such a gentleman!".

"Mark is the brother of my wife actually but yes he is a good guy. Kevin is my only son and the most important person in this world", picking out his wallet and opening it, "How much for everything?".

"I can see that, you're spoiling him! It's pretty adorable but also worrying, not that you spoil him to much, John! And because it's you, I'll only demand five hundred fifty dollars".

Getting out his credit card and giving it to her, "I know, but he is a good kid and behaves, doing his chores, doing well in school and not getting himself into trouble. He deserves everything we give him and seeing him so happy is a huge bonus for us", he tells her with a soft smile.

After having used the credit card to pay everything, she gives him the card back and shakes her head in amusement, "You two are really some big softies for those big sea green eyes, but so am I. I can't even say no to his father, how could I even think about saying no to that little cutey. I would spoil him the same way, if not more. Kids always get to the soft spot in me, especially if they're cute little energy balls like him".

Putting the card away again and laughs, "Told you! Anyway I better get going, thanks for taking so great care of the boys and saving me some money, even if you didn't had to!".

Huffing at the man and waving him off, "Nothing personal boy! I only did that because of your looks!".

"Explains why I feel so dirty and used all the time!", both laugh at that, before John starts walking towards the door, "See you and thanks again!".

"Oh shut up and go already!", and with that she watches the tall blond exit the door and making his way to his car and two boys, "Ah~! What would I give to be young again".

Outside by the car, Kevin was besides the bowl on the backseat and Mark was on passenger seat, opening the car door and sitting down on the drivers seat, "Well? How are you two?", closing the door and turning on the car.

Mark gives a dramatic sigh and shakes his head, "Exhausted, never again john! At least not alone anymore! I'm just happy you came!".

"I'm feeling great daddy! I had a lot of fun and now I got Tobi a super cool new home with a great girlfriend!", a happily Kevin from the backseat tells him, while making cooing sounds at his little fish.

Now driving and making his way back home, John chuckles, "That good to hear champ! And Mark? Thank you for doing that for Kevin and us".

"I know right? What would you all do without me!".

As they got back home, Kevin was non stop talking about how great his day was to Kathleen and Madeleine, While John and Mark where getting the big fishbowl upstairs into Kevin's room. Luckily the wooden dresser was wide enough to get the bowl on top of it and they started preparing it for the fishes. Sand on the bottom with all the sea plans and corals placed onto it, the anemone more in the middle with the castle further besides it. After it was ready for the fishes, they called Kevin to get upstairs and releasing Tobi and his lady friend into their new home. The little boy decided to name her Daisy and watched how Tobi was swimming around Daisy and his new home in curiosity, but as soon Daisy took a nip on him for being to hyperactive for her, Tobi stopped and started to follow her around. The bluish light and the soft sound of the water pump, were relaxing and Kevin took the chair from before his desk to just simply sit down in front of the bowl and watch his little fishes. After a while he puts some fish food into his hand and stands up on the chair to reach at the top of the bowl, slowly like the old lady showed him letting his hand sink into the water and giggling as both instantly came to eat. Daisy again was rubbing herself against his hand more and Tobi was nibbling at his fingers sometimes. The salt water was warm and made his fingers when rubbing together feel funny, he took his hand out as they finished and continues watching. He sees the anemone move, at first it surprised him because he still thought that it was just a flower, but as soon his father released some weird water bag into the bowl, the anemone became more active. The little boy still doesn't believe that it was a bag of water filled with plankton, because he didn't saw the plankton and it just looked like a bag filled with dirty water. As it started to get darker outside he puts the chair back to his desk and then sees the letter he wrote this morning for Double D, remembering that he still has to take a picture for the boy.

"I almost forgot!", he yelps as he runs out of the room and downstairs. Mark and Madeleine went back to their house, Kathleen is in the kitchen preparing the food and John was setting the dining table ready, "Daddy! I need the camera!".

Looking up and blinking at his son, "Huh?".

Frowning at that, the little ginger explains, "Remember? I want to take a picture of Tobi for my friend and for that I need the camera!".

"Oh! Right! Sorry, I forgot little champ. Just take it, it's in the second drawer of the dresser over there!", with that he went back to do his task.

"Thanks!", rushing towards the dresser and opening said drawer, "There it is!", picking out the camera and closing the drawer again, before running back upstairs into his room. Standing in front of the bowl with Tobi staying close to Daisy, who is bigger than him, "Say cheese!", and a flash later the photo is taken. However he doesn't see the actual photo coming out of the camera and frowns, "Where is it?". Never having used the camera himself or even questioned how his parents could get the picture out of the camera, he has no idea how exactly he is going to get the picture. So he runs downstairs again and asks his father, who just finished with the table, "Daddy? How I get the picture?".

John laughs at that and shakes his head, "Oh Kevin. Come on, I'll show you", walking towards the the same dresser Kevin got the camera from and getting his laptop out from the first drawer, placing it on top of the dresser and besides the printer, closing the drawer again and turning on his laptop and the printer. Then connecting both to each other with the USB cable of the printer, "So … now we'll get the memory chip from the camera and put it into this slot of the laptop … then we'll open the file of said chip and … There! You can see all the pictures we took and saved into the chip!".

"Oh! That's so choice!".

"Yeps! Then you choose a picture ...", he clicks on the one Kevin took, "And then right click, on 'print' and ...", the printer started working and Kevin's pictures slowly came out, "There you go! That's how you make pictures!".

"Cool! Thank you daddy!", grabbing the picture and giggling happily, "I wanna have a laptop and printer too!".

"When you're old enough, you'll get your own laptop. But till then there is no need for you to use a laptop, smartphone or anything like those! You know why Kevin".

"Not even for pictures?"

"No! Printer ink costs a lot and it's not a toy, Kevin! You can always ask me or mommy, but no playing around with those. A camera is not a toy and neither is a printer! Those things are expensive and can break easily! And you know you're not suppose to do that, right?".

"Yes daddy …".

"Good … now go play a bit more, till mommy got food ready!", John pats his son's head and turns off the electronic devices, putting them back where he got them and walking towards the kitchen to check on his wife.

Kevin went upstairs again and got the letter, putting the picture into the envelope with his letter and running back downstairs. Putting on his shoes real quick and yelling out to his parents, "I'm outside for a minute!".

Both were a bit startled by that sudden yell and Kathleen yells back from the kitchen, "Wait! Why?!", but the sound of the door closing was the only respond she got.

Kevin runs across the street, the streetlamps already on because it was turning dark outside and no other kid was outside. Reaching Double D's house, he sees that the lights were out, "Oh … they aren't home … but how-", seeing the mailbox and walking towards it. Putting his letter inside and running back to his house. Just as he ringed the bell, he sees the black _Mercedes_-Benz driving around the corner and parking in front of Double D's garage. Watching the family getting out of the car for a while until his father opens the door and letting him back inside, but not without lecturing the small boy about not just running off like that and especially when it's dark outside.

Following his parents inside the house but stopping when he hears John's and Kevin's voice, turning to look but only seeing the door to the Dorn's house closing, "Eddward?", the voice of his mother made him look away and back at his own house.

"I'm sorry mother, I hope I didn't kept you waiting", running towards the tall but petite woman and follows her inside, closing the door behind himself.

"It's quite alright my son, I was just worrying about you. You know I do not approve having you outside in the dark all alone", giving her son a sweet smile before joining her husband into the living room.

Tacking off his shoes and putting them neatly into the shoe cabinet before slipping on a pair of sanitized slippers, hanging his red autumn coat on the jackets stand and making his way upstairs to his room. Like always getting ready for bed by taking a long shower, brushing his teeth and combing his hair before putting on his hat again. Getting everything ready for tomorrow and slipping under the covers of his bed, reading a science magazine. His day was just as great as for all the other kids in the neighborhood, gotten to spend the whole day alone with just his parents. They went to a scientific museum first and then to a historical museum, nice fancy dinner at a Italian restaurant and a long relaxing walk through a nice park. He loves to learn and having to spend a day with his parents just doing that is perfect for him. He was sure his two best friends had a great day as well, knowing that Ed went to the zoo with his family because the boy was talking about it the day before non stop. Eddy went to a big amusement park with his parents and will probably show them all tomorrow what he got from there and talking about how great it was. Smiling softly before putting the magazine away and looking over at his window, wondering if the young ginger had just as much fun as he had today. Like every night his mother would come in when it was time for him to sleep and kiss him on the forehead, before turning off the light, massaging his feet and humming softly for him till he is fast asleep.

It's Sunday and like every Sunday, Double D allows himself to sleep longer as usual. He has no alarm set for these days and prefers to wake up to the soft voice of his mother and gentle fingers stroking through his hair. Ice blue eyes meet Ice blue eyes and he couldn't help but smile at the loving expression of his mother, "Good morning Eddward. Did you slept well?".

"Good morning mother. Yes I slept very well and you?", slowly sitting up and stretching a bit, before leaving into his mothers warm embrace.

"Likewise", playing gently with the wild black hair, the hat slipping off during sleep like always and revealing the soft and thick black hair, "Father made your favorite breakfast for us and there is a letter for you".

"Oh really?! How nice of father and what kind of letter is it?", slowly fishing around the bed for his hat and pull it over his wild bed hair as soon he found it.

"That is for you to find out, now let's not let father wait", getting up and waiting for her son to slip into his sanitized bunny slippers, before walking out of the room and downstairs. Double D following closely behind his mother and greed his father politely before sitting down with them at the dining table and start the breakfast with them. Small conversations about yesterday and their plans today, talking about work and school. After having finished the breakfast they'll clean everything up together and his parents would go to the living room as usual, leaving Double D to get ready for the day in peace. Putting on a different black ski hat with two stripes on each side, he picks out the letter for him out of the old hat, before putting it away to his dirty laundry. Sitting on his bed he opens the envelope, looking at the picture in confusion, before unfolding the letter and reading it, with each sentence the smile on his face brightens. Double D felt giddy and happy, even happier as how he felt yesterday, looking at the picture again and understand now, _"It's Tobi ... he wanted me to know that he still appreciates Tobi and thinks of me!"_. Jumping up and down while holding the picture and letter close to his chest, _"He doesn't hate me! It's just because of Mark for some reason, that he keeps distance! He doesn't hate me!"_. Reading the letter over and over, sure the boy could need some improvement and a better handwriting but the fact the ginger even thought of him is already breathtaking, _"Maybe we can become pen friends!"_, with that idea set into a fact, he rushes over to his desk and start writing his response. The whole time feeling the butterflies inside his chest and giggling eagerly.

"_He doesn't hate me! Kevin doesn't hate me and he still thinks of me!" _

Something kept nagging in the back of his head, something important and yet the little genius could not figure it out. But one thing was crystal clear for him, Kevin was the main reason for it and if he isn't careful …

… he'll lose himself …

**End of Chapter two.**

* * *

So finally finished with the second chapter! I hope you all liked it.

Nathan from c2ndy2cld ... no, I won't try and pronounce her username. I don't even know if she is actually 'she'! I don't really know her, I just know her art and that she is very popular. I can understand why she is popular, I like her colorful cartoon style of art and she got some very funny artist things. However I'm not a fan, I'm hardly a fan of anything because I enjoy many different things and for there is no reason to pick just one. It's just entertainment and that does not require the same level as importance for me as other things that need my attention much more, my job and family for example. My current interest of Ed, Edd N' Eddy is mainly because of nostalgia reasons, which means that interest can always just go away as easily as it came. I'm also not really a big Yaoi fan girl, sure there are some Yaoi couples but just as much as Yuri or Straight couples. It's balanced out you know, that's why I hardly care if the couple I might like would get together or not. Why I choose Nathan? Well that character is almost as popular as it's creator, if people enjoy that character why not give them what they enjoy? I myself find that character pretty amusing and thought he would fit in this story. That way I don't need to make up a character and hope people would like it and people get to read about another character they feel familiar and comfortable with. Sure I do have my own characters, like Kevin's parents, Mark, Candace and I assure you more will follow.

You will also notice that I changed the hair colors of the characters, like Rolf's blue hair or Nathan's green hair, that's because the story is suppose to be more realistic. How many kids you see that have natural blue or green hair? We have to color them, when we get older, to get such hair colors and that is exactly what is going on in my story. So don't worry, we'll get to that.

I saw the reviews and gosh, I wish I could respond to the guest reviews! Because I'm very flattered and couldn't stop giggling at how sweet you all are! You guys made me blush! Shame on you!

Hehe anyway I also saw the concern at how long a update could take. Well I also have a job and sometimes I rather rest with a movie or some TV after work. So yeah … it could take some days to finish a chapter, especially such long ones. There are a lot of ideas that I have but I don't want to rush anything but I also don't want to go to slow. So you gotta be a bit patient with me and I'll try not to disappoint you all.

I'm also looking for a beta reader, not for too much, just for helping me with my grammar and stuff. Maybe even helping me out a bit when I skipped something or missed some information. However I don't really know how that whole beta reader thing works or what the conditions are, but with a bit of help I'll surely learn fast.

Anyway I hope I'll see you guys in the next chapter!


	3. Sorry

Like I said, I would inform you all when something will get in the way of continuing.

I have the notes of how to continue and I have 5 pages of the third chapter, however I barely got the time and patience to sit down and continue, at least that much anymore. My Private life is getting in the way and it's making it hard for me to focus on the story. Well that's life for you.

If you like to continue the story, I'll e-mail you the notes and ideas, just message me and ask for just use it and do your own thing with it. Either way is fine with me and I'll help out as much I can and as much my time allows me to.

You could also just wait for me to continue, but that would be a huge test for your patience and not everyone has that, I myself wouldn't have the patience.

I'm sorry and I'll continue to keep trying, because I kinda liked where I was going with this. But like i said, I won't promise anything that I'm not sure I could keep.

thank you for all the attention anyway, it surprised me to be honest, seeing all the hits and even comments that inform me that people felt affected by my story. I tried to get beta readers but even they can be just as busy as I am or just gave up on what they did.

See you till next time and I hope everyones life will go just well for them.


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